Aces Are Wild
by ArkhamAnnie
Summary: (sequel to Are There Jokers in Solitaire?) Gotham is going to hell, but the Joker thinks he may have a solution. In order to bring chaos in line, Joker is going to make Harley face her past and see what little clowns fear the most. Rated M for all sorts of reasons :) Featuring Joker, Harley, and The Scarecrow
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Everybody. Here be the new story.  
As always I don't own 'em. I just love 'em.  
This is the sort of sequel to Are There Jokers in Solitaire?  
Don't worry if you haven't read it. There's no need. I will say though, I sort of take cannon and chuck it out the window.  
I love nothing more than taking characters, throwing them in the personality blender and hit pureé.**

 **Rated M for future activities...**

 **Anyhoosits. I hope you enjoy reading. :)**

 **Knock Knock** Harley came out of the bathroom, towelling off her hair.

"Don't come in. I'm not decent."

"Miss Quinn, your presence has been requested." Harley smiled at Johnny's ever uncomfortable voice. She knew he hated when the boss wasn't around. The guy was a psychotic clown, but at least a man knew where he stood. Harley wondered into her closet and scouted for an outfit. Her eyes landed on her long, red gown with the slit up to the thigh and black aces trailing across the bust.

"Who are we entertaining tonight Johnny?" Harley called out smiling to herself as she rolled a fishnet stocking up each leg, securing it to the straps on her garter belt.

"I believe it's Mr. Cobblepot tonight." Harley laughed. _This calls for a much shorter dress._ She hung her gown back up and retrieved her short, black halter dress with the red diamonds accenting the drooping neckline. _This will work on the old codger._ After curling her hair into fat ringlets and applying the last bit of red lipstick, Harley opened the door to find Johnny leaning his back against the wall, looking like a man being killed by boredom. He sighed in relief when he saw his charge exit in front of him.

"You look very nice tonight Miss Quinn."  
"John we've been together for years. When will you call me Harley?"

"When familiarity becomes more valuable than my life."

Harley nodded. "Fair play."

Johnny and Harley rode together in Johnny's black Bentley in silence. Harley daydreamed as she watched the night skyline of Gotham whizz past the window. The city was alive with crashes and screams. No one would sleep tonight and that's just how the clown princess liked it. Her fingers toyed with her silver bangles. She hadn't seen the boss in almost two months. He was so caught up in the fall out from Falcone's enterprise being destroyed that he had no time for anything else; not even the Bat. Her run in with Mario had been over three years ago, but the aftermath was far more reaching than either of them could have predicted. It wasn't just a gang war. Every criminal and would be villain in Gotham was chomping at the bit for a piece of the action. The boss didn't want anything to do with it, but couldn't help but be caught up in the mess, often acting more as a mediator than anything. This left Harley without much beyond the day to day operation of the Knife Edge. Her role in the organization was now to "encourage" people to give her prince what he wanted or to remove them from their mortal fight quietly if they refused. Her last call was two months ago when she had to persuade a young man to give her the location of Maroni's hideout in the Narrows. Poor thing. He was so young and so pliable. To call him putty in her hands would be insulting to putty. Harley continued to play with her bracelets nervously. She put extra effort into her look tonight, hoping to catch the attention of the one man she couldn't live without. Her heart nearly jumped out her throat at the very thought of him. Sadly, Harley didn't even think she played on His mind at all. Harley had made peace with that a long time ago. She knew well enough to expect nothing from him, but to always been ready should she be called up.

The car came to a halt outside the Knife Edge. Crunchy music could be heard, muffled through the vault like front doors. As Johnny escorted Harley up to the main doors, Harley stopped to gently punch one of the bouncers in the arm. Eddie had been shacked up with one of J's dancers for the past couple months, but Harley still considered him one of her closer friends and no one would dare argue that point. Eddie flashed her a dopey grin as he pulled back the door to the club.

The club was jammed packed full of people tonight. The drunken patrons danced madly as the hired dancers twisted and writhed in their cages. At Harley's insistence, they were no longer wearing harlequin outfits, but instead dressed in short dresses with high boots. Harley had allowed them to keep the masks and dark eye make up as she thought it added a hint of mystery and anonymity for the girls' protection. Harley paused to take in the salty scent of the crowd. The mess on the streets had been good for business and thanks to her boss not spending every last cent on new ways to destroy the Bat, revenues were at an all time high. It made Harley look like a pro and there were even whispers that she was the new brains behind the operation. However, everyone made damned sure those whispers never reached any clown ears. Johnny led Harley to the bottom of the stairs that led up to the boss' private booth. Wary of her silver heels, Harley gingerly made her way up the metal stairs, smoothed her dress, took a deep breath, and made her way through the beaded curtain.

"Ossie! A little birdy told me you were flying around these parts." Harley beamed at the old bespectacled man as she leaned over to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Harley Quinn, you make a old man feel young again and a young man feel dead. How is it that you get more beautiful every time I see you?" Oswald exclaimed as he placed a gloved hand on her thigh, lifting her already short dress. Harley bent low, smiling at Cobblepot's wide eyes.

"Because every time you see me Ossie, you're a little bit older." Cobblepot covered his hitching breath with his other gloved hand.

Harley just giggled and made her way over to the eyes that burrowed through her.

Joker sat across from Cobblepot and for a moment Harley saw pure rage firing at her. Once Cobblepot's fingers left Harley's leg, Joker's expression softened back into his manic grin. Harley gently took a seat at Joker's left and swung her right leg over her left, exposing her stocking tops under the table, only for her prince to see. Joker ignored her.

"So …Ossie," Joker smiled, "What do you make of my little proposal?" Cobblepot attempted to regain his composure, but was finding the clown princess of crime more than a little distracting. She fidgeted with her bracelets and tossed her hair over her shoulder before resting her darkened eyes on the Penguin.

"Well…uhm…let me sleep on it all right and I'll get hold of your Frost in the morning with a decision." Cobblepot stood to take his leave, nodding curtly to Joker and Harley before waddling away through the beaded curtain.

Joker sat back down, grabbed his amber drink and swirled it in his hand. With his eyes focused on the clinking ice, he growled.

"You're losing your touch. That should have been an instant yes." Harley was stung by the insult, but her heart also fluttered at the first words she had heard from her love in an eternity. Harley crossed her legs in the opposite direction, leaning into Joker.

"It will be a yes. You just wait and see." Joker slammed his glass on the table.

"I hate waiting! You're getting old kitten. You can't stir the blood like you used to. What good is a manipulator if she can't manipulate?" Harley felt rage burn in her lungs and tears sting her eyes.

"Is that why you haven't been home in so long? You think I'm getting old and unattractive?" Joker's eyes flashed with anger.

"Don't you dare…don't you dare Harley Quinn get all emotional on me. I don't have time for your bullshit right now."

Harley stood up and straightened out her dress.

"But apparently I have endless time for yours. Well next time you need someone to whore for you, go get one of your dancers." Harley spun on her heel and walked out of the private booth to Joker's maniacal cackling. At that moment she could have killed him with one of her shoes, but she also knew herself well enough to know that the next time he called, she'd come running as always. As she descended the stairs, Johnny followed her out the side entrance.

"Not staying for a drink?"

Harley leaned against the brick wall. "Fuck him."

Johnny scratched his head. "Uh…no thanks."

Harley smiled in spite of herself. "Just take me home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi Everyone. Here comes the second chapter flying at you.  
Warning: the chapter is rated M for smut at the end of the chapter. :)**

Harley stared through her new glasses as she balanced her accounting books. Since Joker was never at home, Harley had decided to move all her paperwork into his office. She had carefully bound all the 'Kill the Bat' blueprints and put them neatly in the closet. It felt good to have her own space to think and work without interruption or distraction. She had even brought her coffee maker home from the club and it now sat in the corner, happily percolating away. Harley sipped the bitter brew from her oversized mug.

"Ah coffee, you are a kind and gentle mistress," Harley sighed, giggling to herself. After Johnny returned her to the house, he was called back to the club by the boss. Harley smiled. It was so rare that she had the entire place to herself. Harley sighed deeply as she looked over and saw her hyenas quietly snoring in the corner by the fireplace. They were a gift to her from Joker after she had shot Mario Falcone in the face. In the amorous rapture of physical violence, Joker had immediately run out and bought Harley jewelry, new dresses, and best of all two hyena puppies. They were full grown now and so attached to Harley that she couldn't be out of their sight without whining and scratching at the door. _If only I got the same attention from Mr. J._ Harley's fingers danced over the scar on her chest. The scar had originally been a deep J that Joker had carved into her skin, but through the actions of a certain mob son, a long, jagged cut had been made square across it, marring the letter. Harley had been so dismayed that her symbol of ownership had been destroyed. Joker only laughed.

 _"Come here kitten. Let's see the damage." Harley approached, holding a pad of cloth tightly to the wound to stop the bleeding. Joker gently lifted the gauze and padded away the excess blood. Before Harley could remark at his tenderness, Joker flicked out a knife from his jacket pocket and dug it hard into Harley's shoulder. She cried out in new pain as Joker carved into the scars. When he had finished, Joker withdrew the blade, wiped it clean and returned it to his jacket pocket. Harley winced and looked down to see what new art Joker had created. Harley beamed. Running diagonally across the J was a cursive H._

 _"It's beautiful," Harley breathed. Joker emitted a low chuckle as he tilted Harley's chin up with his forefinger. "Always and forever Harls." Harley's heart melted as their lips met in a rare showing of gentleness from her clown prince._

Harley was shaken from her daydream by strong and angry footsteps thumping up the stairs. Without thinking, Harley immediately smoothed out her hair and the dress which she was still wearing from the club. Just as the door to her office slammed open, Harley bent over her papers and pretended not to notice.

"What the hell are you doing in MY office?" Harley looked up feigning innocence.

"Well I have to work somewhere and since you haven't been around, I figured you wouldn't mind." Joker stomped towards her, fists clenched.

"MIND? Sure why would I mind! Take the cars and the house! Take the damn club! Take everything why don't you! I've got an extra lung. Why not carve out a slice of that while you're at it?" Joker spun around and walked over to the easy chair by the fire and slumped into it grumpily. Harley took a deep breath to control her temper. _The King of Gotham is the Queen of Drama._ Harley stood up and walked over to Joker. She leaned forward over the chair and began to rub his shoulders deeply.

"I don't need the office puddin', You can have it back." Joker grumbled incoherently and sunk lower into the chair, trying to avoid her hands. Harley rolled her eyes, but wasn't about to give up. She moved to the front and settled into Joker's lap, which automatically made him sit up straight. Harley slowly started running her fingers through Joker's hair and along his jawline. Joker continued to stare straight ahead at the flames, but Harley could feel him begin to relax under her. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his temple. The almost forgotten scent of asphalt and aftershave was intoxicating to Harley. As Harley made slow and gentle progress to relax her clown, she smiled as a strong arm reached around and secured her to Joker's lap. Joker kept staring into space, but when Harley swept her legs over the arm of the chair, Joker couldn't help but run his other hand along Harley's thigh. Harley smiled at the contact and pressed kisses along Joker's cheek and jaw.

"You want to tell me what's wrong puddin'?" Harley whispered.

"Not now Harley." Harley pushed her luck and began nibbling at Joker's ear.

"Well if you don't want to talk…" Harley giggled softly into Joker's ear.

"I said NOT NOW Harley!" Joker stood up suddenly, throwing Harley to the floor. The hyenas were immediately at her side, nosing her to make sure she was okay.

Joker turned to leave. "Keep the damn office. I couldn't care less." Harley pouted on the floor. Just as Joker was about to go through the door, he paused and turned back to Harley.

"Take those glasses off. You look like an old maid." The slam of the door announced Joker's exit. Harley slowly removed the glasses to wipe the fresh tears from her eyes.

Harley had straightened herself out and returned to her desk when there was a gentle knock at the door. Harley sighed.

"It's unlocked John." Johnny quietly opened the door.

"The boss has gone to bed so I just wanted to check in on you before I headed home. Are you good?" Harley smiled at Johnny's unwavering kindness. She truly didn't deserve a friend like him.

"John can I ask you something?" Johnny stepped forward. "You may, but I'm not sure I'll have an answer."

Harley nodded in understanding. "What does Mr. J want from Cobblepot?"

Johnny leaned against the wall and shoved his hands into his pockets. "The boss is looking for a place to store his Joker toxin. Cobblepot has a vast underground warehouse beneath his club. Where we have it stored now is at the epicenter of an amateur gang war. The warehouse will be destroyed sooner or later so the Boss is kinda anxious to get all his gear moved out of there."

Harley rested her chin on her interlocked fingers. "What was the offer?"

Johnny shrugged. "I'm not privy to that kind of information, but knowing Cobblepot, it's probably access to the boss' line of dancers…that and money."

Harley nodded. "The toxin is dangerous stuff. I can see why Cobblepot was apprehensive. Thanks John. Please go home and get some rest."

Johnny pulled his mouth into a tight smile, then turned and disappeared down the dark hallway. _I've never seen the Penguin turn down skirt. He'll say yes._ Harley stretched her arms and released a long yawn. As she stood up to go to bed, a thought tightened in her chest. _Mr. J is in the bedroom._ Harley considered sneaking in to grab her stuff and move to the spare room. _No screw it. It's just as much my bedroom as his._

Harley confidently marched down the hallway to the master bedroom, but stopped to slowly open the door so as not to wake the sleeping jester. Joker lay on his back, one leg hanging over the edge of the bed. The blanket was barely covering him. Harley's heart leapt in her throat as she saw the taut muscles of Joker's torso meeting his wine colored silk pajama bottoms. Even with all his hateful words and violent outbursts, in Harley's eyes, he was a vision of perfection.

Harley quietly made her way to the bathroom and prepared for bed. She soon emerged wearing a red silk nightie. _Got to be prepared just in case._ Harley slowly slipped in under the covers and turned her back to Joker. She couldn't help but grin to herself at the successful infiltration, but her smile quickly disappeared when she felt Joker stir. Joker growled low and turned towards Harley's form. Her heart raced and she considered making a run for it. Suddenly she felt a cool, but strong arm reach over and hug her waist. Joker pulled her close and buried his face into her hair. Harley's breathing evened out as she felt Joker return to the long breathing of unconsciousness. A small smile formed across Harley's lips as she drifted off to sleep. _At least his subconscious still wants me._

When Harley awoke, Joker's arm was no longer around her middle, but she could feel Joker's presence still in the bed. Without opening her eyes, Harley flipped over to face her clown prince. She flopped an arm across what she expected to be his middle, but turned out to be his legs. Harley opened one confused eye to see Joker sitting up and checking his phone…wearing glasses! There was the King of Gotham wearing half moon spectacles to read his texts! Harley wanted to giggle, but held it in knowing there would be a violent result of Joker getting caught. Instead Harley squeaked and made a big show of stretching out her limbs before opening her eyes. When she finally opened both, the glasses had disappeared and Joker was looking down at her quizzically.

"You were late to bed."

Harley flipped onto to her side. "I told you I had work to do."

Joker grunted then returned to his phone, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly.

"Penguin has agreed by the way. I guess you're not as useless as you look."

Harley pouted at the slight, but couldn't help but feel glad that her Joker was back in bed with her, filling her senses with asphalt and aftershave. She reached up and softly kissed his cheek. Joker didn't shy away. A sly grin spread across Harley's face as she bent her head and began to lay soft, slow kisses along Joker's shoulder and neck. Joker put down his phone. "Harley…"

Harley danced her fingers across his chest. "Oh, come on puddin'," she whispered, "Don't you want to rev up your Harley?" Joker gave a low chuckle.

"You're an idiot." Harley grinned and swung her leg over Joker, straddling him across his lap. She pressed her lips to his chest, flicking her tongue around his nipple and gently pulling on the light amount of chest hair that peppered his form. Joker let out a low, almost inaudible growl. Harley felt Joker's tension growing between her legs and she smiled in victory. _He can't say no now._ Harley lifted herself up from Joker and balancing on her hands and knees, she reached through Joker's pants and began to stroke him teasingly slowly. Joker's breath caught in his throat. It had been just as long for him too.

"Harley dear are you wearing anything underneath this little number?" Joker asked, tugging on the hem of her silk. Harley smiled and leaned forward.

Pressing her lips lightly to Joker's she whispered, "Baby it's me. What do you think?"

For the first time in eternity, a wolfish grin spread across Joker's face, making electricity shoot through Harley's limbs.

"Oh good." With that, Joker grabbed Harley roughly by the hips and slammed her down onto his groin so hard, he practically impaled her. Harley saw stars of pleasure. She leaned back so that he was pushing against all the right places. Joker suddenly sat up, grabbed Harley's arms and flipped her onto the bed. There wasn't time for her slow rocking. Harley gasped and brought her legs up and wrapped them around Joker's neck. He grinned and held her ankles in place as his thrusts became quicker and harder. Each motion threatened to split Harley in half as her hands gripped the sheets tightly for stability. Soon Harley shuddered as electric shocks zapped through her fingers and down her legs as the overdue release flooded her senses. Joker began to slow as his tension dispersed. Both fell back against the bed, bodies covered with a light sheen. Harley felt like her legs would never work again. Joker on the other hand, leaped out of bed with all the energy in the world.

Before Harley realized what was happening, Joker was dressed and brushing back his hair.

"Meet me downstairs when you've recovered from your afterglow," he chuckled. As Joker opened the door, he turned back briefly to Harley.

"But don't take too long. I have a plan I need your help with." Harley smiled faintly as she could hear maniacal cackling. _There he is._


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone. Here be the next chapter and I hope this gives you a bit more direction as to where I'm going.  
...Maybe :)**

Harley dressed quickly in her denim shorts and red t-shirt, brushed her hair into a ponytail and trotted happily downstairs. _Finally, something that isn't paying bills._ When she entered the kitchen, she found the salt and pepper shakers flung to the floor and a large mass of papers and files scattered across the island. Joker didn't bother to look up as Harley sat across from him, eagerly leaning forward on her folded arms.

"What are we doing today boss?" Harley leaned close trying to see if she could find new plans to kill the Bat, but all she could see were news articles about Arkham and ragged personnel files. Joker looked up from his papers and grinned.

"We're trying something different today Harls. We're going to enter into a little cooperative engagement." Harley arched an eyebrow. Joker was many things, but a team player he was not. He was a leader, a fearless general on the concrete battlefield, but he was not someone who played well with others. Harley had the scars to prove it.

"So, who is so wonderful and diabolical that they deserve your comradery?" Joker got up to get himself another cup of coffee, at the same time, he threw a copy of last week's Gotham Gazette over to Harley. She smirked and casually picked up the paper. When she saw the headline and frontpage picture, her eyes widened and her blood ran cold. A thousand sticky memories unlocked themselves and flooded her mind. She saw her old classroom from university, a darkened office, the scent of old books and fresh soap… Harley quickly shook herself from the shock and crossed one leg over the other as she passed the article back to the now seated Joker.

"So Arkham has a new head honcho eh?" Joker nodded, taking a long sip from his mug.

"Yeah I guess the last guy had some sort of breakdown. Good thing he's familiar with the scenery," Joker couldn't help but laugh at the joke in it all.

Harley crossed her arms and leaned back slightly.

"So, what's this newbie got that we want?" Joker jumped up off his chair, unable to contain his excitement.

"I'm glad you asked that Harls. This young upstart has been going into business for himself. He has his very own toxin, the little scamp. While I'm not about to sue for copyright infringement, I do want to get a better look at it."

Harley narrowed her eyes as a small smile crept across her lips. She was always excited/scared/mildly aroused when Joker was this happy and in all his scheming glory.

"To what end Mr. J? What's the scheme?" Joker practically danced around the kitchen before leaning against the kitchen counter, picking up an apple and rolling it back and forth along his forearm.

"Well kitten. Gotham has gone to hell in a handbasket as of late, which was a short trip but that's beside the point. Poor Batsy can't keep up with all the malarkey, so I intend to help him out." Joker popped the apple off his wrist, caught it and took a big bite.

Harley scoffed. "Help the Bat? Oh puddin', you really are insane."

Joker chuckled. "Right? But hear me out. You remember that Joker toxin we developed that wouldn't kill people, it just paralyzed them?"

"The giggle gas? Yeah, I remember," Harley nodded. Joker laughed at Harley's pet name for his lesser contagion.

"Right. Well this new Arkham Andy has a toxin that produces unimaginable fear in its victims. So, picture this Pooh, an entire city brought to its literal knees by a paralyzing, fear inducing gas. Everyone lying there, unable to move or blink, caught in their own worst nightmares. They might even get a giggle or two. In the meantime, ol' Batty Boy can go around scooping up the scum. It's like fish in a barrel and best of all, no one dies so Bat Brain can maintain his unshakable morality." Joker was holding his sides he was laughing so hard. Harley furrowed her brow.

"But I still don't understand why you want to help the Batman?" Joker screwed up his face in disbelief that his girlfriend was so dense.

"Bats is no fun anymore. He's too busy trying to round up all the little scumbags that aren't even worthy to touch his cape and here I am, stuck keeping those same little scumbags from killing each other over pennies. See…I'm doing both of us a favour."

"I still don't get it Puddin'. Why do you need the fear gas? Why not just paralyze everyone with your toxin and be done with it?"

Joker rubbed his hand down his face.

"Oh Harley, Harley, Harley. Because… it's funny."

Harley nodded as if that was a perfectly acceptable answer to her question.

"So how are we going to steal this fear toxin then?" Joker who, at the moment, had his back to Harley, slowly turned around, looking vaguely insulted.

"Harley dear, we don't steal from partners. He is going to give us the toxin and he is going to be over the moon to do it."

Harley crossed her arms in doubt. "And how do you propose that's supposed to happen?"

Joker smiled and leaned across the kitchen island and gently took Harley's chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Why that's where you come in, my little manipulator."

Harley sat on the bench in her walk-in closet for what seemed an eternity. Her mind went back and forth between trying to decide what to wear for this "first" meeting with the new Arkham head and her real first meeting with the toxic teacher.

 _Harleen walked down the hall to class with a sense of elation. She was in her final year of medical school and would soon graduate a doctor of psychology. It had been a long road of studying during the day and bar tending at night to make enough money for coffee and textbooks. Straightening her glasses and smoothing her purple blouse, Harleen took a deep breath and walked into the classroom. Even though her marks were well above standard and she had shown promise to many of her professors, Harleen still felt intimidated walking into a classroom full of her peers. The room seated about fifty people and forty-nine had already chosen their seats. Harleen meekly made her way to the last available seat, front and centre in front of the teacher's desk. Crossing one ankle behind the other, Harleen reached into her book bag and grabbed her pen and a fresh notebook. The spine gave a satisfying crunch as it broke for the first time. Harleen smoothed out the first page and waited in silence while all those around her caught up on their summer activities. Harleen eavesdropped on where everyone had spent their summer internships and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She longed to gain more practical experience in the field before entering the job market, but paying for school came first and those whisky shots weren't going to pour themselves.  
Harleen was shaken from her thoughts by the slam of heavy textbooks on the desk in front of her. She lifted her gaze, which fell on the pale blue eyes of her new teacher. His eyes lingered on Harleen for a moment before he turned his attention to the student body before him._

 _"_ _My name is Dr. Crane and this is the class that will separate the doctors from the patients." A nervous giggle emanated from the group, but Dr. Crane's face remained stoic. Harleen spent the class frantically scribbling pieces of Dr. Crane's lecture. He spoke with a passion she had never seen from a professor. It was a drive that sent sparks through her fingers as she watched Dr. Crane pace back and forth in front of the blackboard, writing names and terms and breaking off bits of chalk from the intense pressure he applied to the board. He stared daggers at the class, daring anyone to drift away from his brilliance. Finally, as the lecture drew to its conclusion, Dr. Crane paused and settled his eyes on Harleen. His mouth twitched into what would almost be called a smile. Harleen then realized she was wearing a grin, which she knew to be one of admiration but anyone else would think her simple. (Oh God. He thinks I'm a loon.) Harleen quickly broke the stare and Dr. Crane returned to his pupils._

 _"_ _We have nothing to fear, but fear itself…what a load of garbage." Another nervous giggle went out. "Fear is a sensible reaction to many of life's situations and we have oh so much to fear in this life. I want you all to take a piece of paper, write your name at the top and in the middle write your greatest fear. Once you hand them in to me, you may leave." The students murmured among themselves as the sound of shuffling papers quietly filled the room. Harleen rested her chin on her hand, desperate for something to write down. When she realized that she was soon to be alone in the vast auditorium, Harleen tore the page out of her notebook and quickly threw it on Dr. Crane's desk before exiting the classroom._

"HARLEY! Come on girl. We mustn't keep the good doctor waiting," Joker called up the stairs. Harley shook herself from her daydream and in a panic grabbed her knee length purple dress from the hook, quickly changed, and ran down the stairs to Joker. He furrowed his brow as he studied his creation.

"Not bothering with hair and make up tonight?" Harley held up her purse.

"It's in here. I'll take care of it in the car." Joker rolled his eyes.

"Well in that case, you're riding with Frost. You're not getting lipstick all over my upholstery. It cost a fortune to get the last round out." Harley smirked.

"I don't recall you complaining at the time." Joker whipped around with a look of fury, but quickly softened and laughed quietly.

Harley joined Johnny in his Bentley and opened up her compact to apply her lipstick. Once her lips were a suitable shade of red, Harley moved to her eyes and darkened her lids, which made her blue eyes sing. Once satisfied with her face, Harley put her make up back in her bag, pulled a few stray hairs behind her ear, then leaned back and stared out at her dreamy city.

 _Harleen packed up her book bag and turned to follow her classmates following the conclusion of another intense lecture._

 _"_ _Miss Quinzel." Harleen froze, feeling ice run through her veins followed by intense heat at the sound of Dr. Crane's smooth voice calling her name. She took a deep breath and turned around smiling pleasantly._

 _"_ _Yes Dr. Crane?"_

 _"_ _I would like you to meet me in my office at 3:00 today. We need to discuss your assignment from yesterday." Harleen continued to plaster the fake smile on her face._

 _"_ _I'm very sorry Doctor. I have a lecture at three. Could we possibly meet after at 4:30?"_

 _Dr. Crane blinked and scoffed at the insolence of his student. No one ever dared try and go against him for anything. He stepped closer._

 _"_ _Miss Quinzel. What do you value more; your education or your enlightenment?" Harleen also stepped forward, holding her bookbag at her side._

 _"_ _Are they not the same?" Dr. Crane shook his head._

 _"_ _Not at all. Your other professors may educate you. but I will enlighten you." Harleen nodded thoughtfully._

 _"_ _Very well Dr. Crane. You may enlighten me at 4:30 today." As Harleen turned to take her leave, her grin stretched ear to ear. Her fingers gripped her bag to prevent them from shaking. She had never talked back to anyone before. It gave her such a rush to show even the slightest hint of rebellion._

 _At 4:25, Harleen exited the elevator and made her way down the hall to Dr. Crane's office. Part of her cursed her own thinking and told her to behave while the other half of her couldn't wait to play with her beautiful new toy. The halls were darkened. All the other professors had left for the day. It was an accepted fact in Gotham to be home before the sun set and it was also an accepted fact that the sun always set early in Gotham. Harleen found it interesting that Dr. Crane seemed to have no such compunction about getting home on time, but then again, she didn't either._

 _Harleen stood in front of the door with the frosted glass. A small plaque glued to the front read 'Dr. Johnathon Crane.' Harleen looked at her watch. The second hand ticked passed the twelve to signal 4:30 exactly. She knocked gently on the door._

 **Is it weird to end a chapter on a cliffhanger within a flashback? ...Probably...**

 **Should you get used to it? ...Probably...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi Everyone. Okay so apparently I still have no concept of chapter length so this one is a long one.  
I still hope you like it though. Thanks for all the wonderful feedback and follows and favourites and things. Please feel free to let me know what you think or if things aren't particularly clear.  
Just a side note if you haven't read my first story. In my first story Harley lost a good chunk of her memory so I'm still playing with that.  
Hope you guys like it. :)**

"Miss Quinn. We're here." Johnny was bent over the open passenger door trying to rouse Harley from another daydream. Harley stared up at the butcher's knife stuck on the wall that signaled the entrance to the club. With a heavy sigh, she took Johnny's hand as he led her out of the car. A valet approached Johnny and held his hand out for the keys. Johnny shook his head. "I'll park her myself." The valet obediently stepped back into position. Harley looked off longingly as Johnny pulled away in the Bentley. She took a deep breath and went for the door.

"Hey Harley. You look great. Hot date tonight?" Eddie joked. Harley looked at him and gave a small smile. "Just entertaining an old friend I'm afraid." Eddie threw out a dopey grin. "Well you're sure to hold his attention." Harley smirked lazily. "Thanks Eddie." With a playful punch to the arm, Harley smoothed her dress and entered the club.

The club had only just opened and was still fairly quiet. Harley watched the dancers begin to warm up in their cages. For a moment Harley was taken in by their graceful movements and their intoxicating twists and swerves. _They don't know how lucky they are._ Harley walked up the treacherous stairs to Joker's private booth. She quietly walked through the beads and breathed a sigh of relief to see she had the place to herself for a few blessed moments. Harley sat in the corner of the booth and swung her legs up under her. Placing her arm across the back, she rested her head on her elbow and allowed herself to drift back into memory.

 _"Come in." Harleen entered Dr. Crane's office and quietly closed the door behind her until it gently clicked into its latch. Harleen turned around to see Dr. Crane, red pen in hand, looking over mounds of test papers. She couldn't help but notice that all the pens in Dr. Crane's pen cup were red. (Tough guy) Harleen stood in silence taking in the old office. The lights were low and the room was dark with all the wooden bookcases and tables drinking in every ounce of available light. The room smelt like musty old books, but there was the soft scent of fresh soap that danced with the other odors. (Maybe he's a mysophobe.) Dr. Crane's preoccupation also allowed Harleen to take in his appearance. He was dressed very mildly in a suit and tie, with his dark hair almost touching his collar. His youth also impressed Harleen. He didn't seem old enough to be a doctor of anything let alone psychiatry. (Must have been one of those child geniuses or something.) Harleen glanced at her watch._

 _"Dr. Crane, you wished to see me about yesterday's assignment?" Dr. Crane didn't bother to look up, but gestured towards the chair in from of him._

 _"Please sit down Miss Quinzel. I'm almost finished sealing fates." Harleen couldn't help but giggle at the power wielded with a red pen. The giggle made Dr. Crane look over his glasses at Harleen. The blue eyes piercing her vision made her press her lips together to disguise the laugh. Dr. Crane sighed in contentment as he signed the bottom of the paper and placed it gently with the others. He placed the cap back on the pen, and then sat forward, linking his fingers together on the desk._

 _"Miss Quinzel, do you recall the assignment from yesterday?"_

 _Harleen nodded. "We were to sign our names to the top of a piece of paper and record our greatest fears."_

 _"While your memory appears to be flawless, your comprehension skills concern me. Why," Dr. Crane asked shoving a blank piece of paper forward, "did you fail to complete the assignment?"_

 _Harleen leaned forward to examine the sheet that held only her name. She furrowed her brow, but before she could answer, the doctor cut her off._

 _"Miss Quinn, I asked you here today to tell you that you will no longer be welcome in my class. If you cannot complete even the simplest task, you are simply wasting my time and the time of your classmates. That will not be tolerated in my lectures." Dr. Crane stood and opened his door. "Perhaps comic book literature would be more your speed. I understand Dr. Macintosh's class can be riveting." Harleen's anger boiled in her gut._

 _"I have no fears," she whispered between clenched teeth. Dr. Crane slammed the door shut with a bang that made Harleen flinch._

 _"Nonsense. You're even afraid of loud noises." Harleen stared daggers at Dr. Crane as he made his way back to his desk._

 _"Having an involuntary reaction to a sudden change in environment does not constitute a fear." Dr. Crane sat at his desk and pressed his fingers together._

 _"So Miss Quinzel. What makes you think that you're so high and mighty that fear does not touch you?"_

 _"Dr. Crane you told us that fear is a survival instinct. It allows us to evaluate our environment and make survivalist decisions in a very short space of time. Fear is the only thing that protects us from leaping to our deaths off bridges like lemmings. I however, don't care if Death sweeps me away tomorrow. If Death doesn't bother me, then Fear has no home within me."_

 _Dr. Crane smiled. "That's terribly poetic Miss Quinzel, but I'm calling bull shit. Everyone is afraid of something, especially when facing death."_

 _Harleen leaned forward so that her voice was no more than a whisper. "Not me."_

 _Dr. Crane stood up again and moved towards the door. "Well Miss Quinzel, if you are so sure of yourself, I suppose I can allow you to remain in my class a little while longer." Harleen stood up, grabbed her book bag, and extended her hand to Dr. Crane._

 _"Thank you sir. I will not let you down." Dr. Crane smiled._

 _"I'm sure you won't." As Harleen's heels turned to leave, Dr. Crane slammed the door shut and locked it. Before Harleen could defend herself, Dr. Crane had knocked her to the floor, holding her by her throat. Harleen could see the muscles through Dr. Crane's shirt were taut as the pressure on her throat increased, but her eyes remained focused and clear. Even the doctor was surprised that Harleen's face refused to show terror. He pushed himself between Harleen's legs and leaned close to her ear. Harleen could smell soap._

 _"What if I took you right here? I could strip you of your dignity and submit you to a fate worse than death. The building is empty. No one to hear your screams."_

 _Harleen's eyes met his and a low laugh emerged from her lips. "It'd be the last thing you ever tried to do you sick son of a bitch."_

 _Dr. Crane seemed to ponder that for a moment before grabbing a needle from his jacket pocket and jamming it into Harleen's neck. She winced in pain as a strange liquid was pushed from the cylinder and burned as it traveled into her veins._

 _Dr. Crane stood up in triumph leaving Harleen on her back._

 _"Soon you are going to travel through fears you didn't even know you had. You will scream in torment and cry out for release. And then when you think your mind can take no more, your psyche will fall silent and you will live your days as a quiet little vegetable in Arkham. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Dr. Crane was just about to sit back down at his desk when a giggle made him freeze. He slowly looked over to the floor where his blond victim lay. Harleen's small giggle turned to laughter and soon the halls were filled with the sounds of cackling. Tears streamed down her face as Harleen laughed until she could barely breath. After almost an hour, Harleen came to, her face sticky from tears and her lungs burning like she had just run a marathon. She sat up looking confused until she saw the eyes of Dr. Crane burrowing into her. His glasses sat neatly folded beside his pen cup and his hands were folded in front of his face._

 _Harleen got herself off the floor and sat in the chair in front of the desk._

 _"May I have a tissue please?" Without blinking, Dr. Crane handed her the box of tissues from his desk. Harleen carefully took one and attempted to clean off her face._

 _Dr. Crane's eyes were wide as he stared at Harleen. "What did you see?" he whispered softly._

 _Harleen looked at the ground, then back at him, giggling to herself. "Clowns."_

"Woo hoo…Earth to Harley." Harley stirred from her thoughts to find Joker waving his hand in front of her face.

"Sorry Mr. J. I was just daydreaming." Joker chuckled and sat down beside her. Harley quickly turned around and straightened out her dress. Joker swirled the ice in his drink.

"And just what was taking my Harley so far from my reality?" Joker turned to her with a wide grin, but angry eyes.

Harley shrugged. "Just remembering my time in school is all." Joker tilted his head.

"So more of your memories are coming back?" Harley nodded.

"Slowly. I'm sorry puddin'. I still don't remember our time in Arkham together."

Joker patted her thigh. "It'll come…and when it does so will you. They're good memories." He cackled loudly at the innuendo, then focused once again on his drink. Harley took out her compact and checked to make sure her face and hair were in place.

"How far am I taking Crane tonight?"

"It's only a meeting tonight. You won't have to leave the club." Harley nodded in relief. She would belly crawl across broken glass for her clown prince, but she was never able to get comfortable when he asked her to seduce anyone.

By now the club was in full swing and the music was low and loud. Harley leaned her head on Joker's left shoulder and rested her hands on his right. She was excited to be so close to him again and tried to take every opportunity to drink in his scent. Joker lowered his head and fixed his hand onto Harley's arm; not to pull it away, but almost to show that he too enjoyed the closeness. Harley stroked Joker's face gently and placed a soft kiss to his temple. Joker turned towards Harley and met her lips with his own. He bit her lower lip, which produced a low giggle from her. Harley flicked her tongue across Joker's teeth to release her lip and gain entry to his mouth. Joker growled with a smile as he parted his mouth and let Harley in. Their kisses became more urgent and encompassing when Frost coughed awkwardly. Like a fresh teenage couple, the two clowns broke apart quickly with Harley reaching for her compact again and her lipstick to straighten herself out.

"Dr. Crane is here to see you boss." Joker clapped his hands together happily.

"How do you know Dr. Crane is not your average Gotham criminal pooh?"

"How Mr. J?"

"He actually shows up on time." Harley giggled as Johnny led in a man dressed in a slim cut suit and a boring black tie. Harley was shocked. Dr. Crane had not aged a day since last they met. His hair was still just slightly unruly and his eyes were still ice blue behind his thin framed glasses.

"Please sit," Johnny directed Crane to the bench across from Joker. Staring up at the giant man, Crane nodded politely and took a seat on the purple leather.

"Thank you Johnny. You may wait outside," instructed Joker in a mockingly polite tone.

Dr. Crane stared ahead, taking in the pale figure before him. If he recognized Harley, he made no such indication. Harley broke her stare by turning to Joker and waiting for him to initiate conversation.

"So doctor, did you bring me what I wanted?"

"Of course not." Crane looked nonplussed as he continued to focus his gaze on Joker. Joker laughed heartily.

"I'd probably kill if you did just for being boring." Crane's expression remained unchanged. Joker's laughter died down as he leaned back into his seat.

"All right doctor let's get to the bullet point of this presentation. Did you read over the designs?"

Crane nodded. The lack of verbal response seemed to annoy Joker as his smile began to fade.

"…And?"

"It's ambitious."

Joker smiled. "Well you don't become the King of the Gotham underworld without being a bit of a visionary." When Crane didn't respond, Joker continued. "What's it going to take for you to join our little party?"

"I haven't even said if I'm interested." Harley couldn't believe how emotionless Crane was being around Joker. He was THE Joker after all. Most men would be shaking in their boots after spending five minutes with the guy. Joker didn't seem phased.

"You wouldn't be here if you weren't interested."

-"Maybe I just wanted to meet you."

"Flattered, but come on Crane. What do you want?"

Crane's eyes flickered for the first time to Harley, but only for a moment before they returned to Joker. "Make me an offer." The twitch did not go unnoticed by Joker.

"Harley," he said standing up, "Why don't you take our guest to the bar for a drink?"

Harley stood up, giving a mock salute. "You got it Mr. J. Come on Doc. Let's you and me go get to know each other." Frost pulled back the beaded curtains to allow Crane to pass. Just as Harley was about to follow, a pair of cold hands gripped her shoulders tightly.

"Soften him up Harls. We cannot let this one escape us," Joker breathed into her ear.

"You got it boss." Harley followed quickly to catch up to Crane as they made their way to the bar. Crane sat directly at the purple lit bar as Harley jumped behind to grab a pair of tumblers. She clinked ice into each, then filled them with a strong looking amber liquid. Hopping back to the other side, she slid one over to Crane who ran his finger around the edge of it lazily.

"I'm sorry I don't…" Harley hushed him.

"Just pretend okay. If it looks like we aren't getting along, neither of us is leaving her alive. Got it?" Crane nodded, but remained stoic.

"It's been a long time Miss Quinzel or do I call you Harley now?" Harley smiled.

"Harley works. Congrats on the Arkham appointment. That's a big opportunity." Crane gently sipped his drink as an arrogant smirk spread across his face.

"Well you know how it is. I was in the right place at the right time."

-"With the right fear toxin."

Crane smiled. "It helped." Harley crossed her legs and smiled. Something stirred in her at the sight of her doctor's smile. _No no…he's not my doctor._ Harley took a heavy sip of her drink. With her lips still to the glass she asked, "Is he watching us?"

Crane quickly glanced up to the booth. "Looks that way." Harley plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Put your hand on my thigh and smile." Crane looked at her confused.

"Mr. J wants me to butter you up. It won't end well for either of us if he thinks I've failed." Crane laughed incredulously. "So you do value your life."

"Fuck off," Harley smiled through gritted teeth, "Just grab my damn thigh."

Crane chuckled lowly, but placed his hand on Harley's stockinged thigh, rubbing his thumb over the fabric slowly. "Well it's been a while since we've done this." Harley placed her hand on Crane's shoulder to brace herself against a joke that was never told. Her fake smile grew wider. "Don't get used to it." She cursed herself inside for secretly enjoying the long forgotten contact.

Crane moved his bar stool closer. "You should stop pulling that face before your smile gets stuck and you look like Him."

Harley relaxed her face. "Do you think you can work with Mr. J on this little project of his?"

Crane watched his fingers as they moved up to Harley's bare shoulder and began tracing slow circles. "Harley I've spent my entire career working with the insane. It's what I do." Harley finally let out a genuine laugh, which made Crane smirk.

"It's been even longer since I pulled a laugh out of you."

-"That wasn't drug induced."

Crane smirked again. Harley moved her bar stool closer to Crane so they were only inches apart.

"Tell me Dr. Crane. What is your price?" Again Crane didn't look at Harley as he answered but watched his fingers as they carefully tucked strands of hair behind her ear.

"Well…I want protection. I'm not taking the fall on this one. I will do anything you ask of me and provide you with whatever strain of my toxin you require, but I will need resources and I will need protection. I'm in the perfect position to run my experiments at Arkham and I'll die before that is taken from me."

-"Anything else?" Dr. Crane's eyes darkened as they met Harley's.

"Well what I would love to have I know your boss would never give up." Harley's fingers went numb with electricity. It had been a lifetime since she had seen those icy eyes burn with such fire. Luckily the flame was snuffed out with Frost's arrival.

"Dr. Crane, the boss would like to see you upstairs. He says he's ready to negotiate."

Crane nodded and finished his drink in one gulp. He gave Harley's thigh one last squeeze.

"Wish me luck."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi Everyone. This chapter is pretty flashback heavy so just a head's up. Please let me know if this story is easy to follow or not. Everything always seems to make sense in my head, but I've been told many times that what's in my head doesn't equal reality haha.  
Thank you so much for all the kind words and wonderful comments of encouragement. I really appreciate it. It's nice to you you're not the only one to think a certain way.  
Anyhoo that's enough gushing from me. Hope you enjoy this chapter and I will try to update soon.**

 _Midterms were approaching and the air at the university was thick with tension and stress. Harleen took secret delight in seeing the sweaty brows and glassy eyes of over tired and caffeined students. Although she would never admit it out loud, the more panic Harleen saw, the more excited she became. Like an emotional vampire, the adrenaline of others got her high. Harleen hummed merrily to herself as she wondered down the hallway to her anatomy class when she spotted a group of students gathered around the bulletin board._

 _"_ _You'd have to be crazy to apply for that…who'd want to be in the same room with that sadist?" Harleen cocked her head to the side like a curious puppy, dying to know what her classmates were discussing. The group cleared as Harleen approached and her eyes lit up with she saw the notice of discussion._

Wanted: One student with half a brain and the ability to take direction without question.  
Student will assist Dr. Crane in tasks not worthy of his effort.

If said student is lucky, extra credit and reference may be given.

All those who feign interest are to send resume and cover letter (which are unlikely to be read) to psyc

 _Harleen couldn't help but laugh at the outrageous advert. Dr. Crane was a menace in class and had no problem embarrassing the weaker willed students, but somehow Harleen wanted this position more than anything. She had always been drawn to men who were good at what they did and despite all his wondrous personality flaws; Dr. Crane was the best at what he did. Realizing that her resume would look rather pathetic sitting in the psych department inbox, she took matters into her own hands._

 _As the teacher labeled the final part of the left foot (fascinating stuff metatarsals) Harleen glanced at her watch and saw the hands forming a perfect right angle of three o'clock. The time luckily did not escape the teacher as she concluded her lecture and a thankful class began to pack up for the day._

 _The day was far from over for Harleen as she marched herself straight to the old psychology building and up its eight flights of stairs to the top floor where Dr. Crane's office lay. Making sure her blue blouse was properly tucked into her pencil skirt, Harleen's heels clicked their approach down the hall to the familiar frosted door at the end. Taking a deep breath, Harleen tapped on the door gently with her knuckles._

 _She heard an exasperated sigh on the other side. "Come in."_

 _Harleen happily opened the door and shut it quietly behind her. Dr. Crane looked up and for a moment showed a look of genuine surprise._

 _"_ _Miss Quinzel. Are you lost?" Harleen boldly walked forward and set herself into the chair in front of Dr. Crane's desk._

 _"_ _No sir. I would like to apply for the position you posted on the board in the biology department."_

 _Dr. Crane frowned. "Did it not say apply by email?"_

 _Harleen drew a fake smile on her face. "It did."_

 _Dr. Crane rolled his eyes and removed his glasses. "And yet I see you are still unable to follow simple instructions."_

 _-"And yet I see you are still surprised." Dr. Crane licked his top lip, trying to decide what to do with the headstrong blond in front if him. He stood up slowly from his desk._

 _"_ _Miss Quinzel. You're arrogant, conceited, unable to follow the simplest of instruction, and you take nothing seriously. Why in Heaven should I hire someone like you?"_

 _-"First of all Dr. Crane; I am not conceited. Secondly, I know for a fact that I'm the only applicant you've had and you need to hire someone as your intern to maintain your tenure at this university." Dr. Crane came around and leaned against his desk with crossed arms._

 _"_ _What makes you think you're my only applicant?" Harleen stood up and met the doctor in the eye._

 _"_ _Because you're an asshole and no one in their right mind would attempt to work for you." Dr. Crane lowered his eyes and smiled._

 _"_ _So I take it you're not in your right mind?" Harleen closed the distance between herself and the doctor._

 _"_ _Not by a long shot."_

 _Harleen smiled to herself as she practically skipped down the hallway to Dr. Crane's office. After much persuasion and a little bit of blackmail (Harleen hadn't forgotten the injection Dr. Crane had forced into her) the doctor had decided to given Harleen the internship. Harleen smoothed her dress and checked her hair in the one of the hall windows. She felt electricity run through her hands as she knocked on the door._

 _"_ _Come in." Harleen as normal closed the door behind her so it barely made a sound clicking onto its latch. She couldn't help but notice Dr. Crane's hair looked slightly tidier than normal and his office had been cleaned or at least papers were put into tidy piles._

 _"_ _Good morning Dr. Crane. What is my first meaningless task today?" Harleen asked cheerfully. Dr. Crane looked over to a giant mountain of papers sitting on the corner of his desk._

 _"_ _These are first year multiple choice papers. You may mark them," he sneered, waving his fingers over them in disgust. Harleen smiled, grabbed the top layer of the pile and moved to the couch that sat opposite Dr. Crane's desk and set them on the coffee table in front of her._

 _Dr. Crane continued to read over the grad papers in front of him until he noticed a faint scent of drugstore shampoo wafting over him. He looked up to see Harleen's hand waving over his collection of red pens._

 _"_ _May I?" she asked wrapping her fingers around the shaft of one of his pens. Dr. Crane looked at her with a smirk._

 _"_ _Whatever you need." Harleen gave a short, low giggle as she grabbed two red pens and returned to the couch._

 _The next few hours passed in silence as the two marked their respective exams, red ink flowing like blood between them. Harleen eventually broke the silence by cracking her neck and audibly stretching her back._

 _"_ _Ugh I need coffee. Do you need coffee?" Dr. Crane looked up, stunned by the sudden voice in his office. Harleen grabbed her purse out of her book bag._

 _"_ _You look like a latte guy. I'll be right back."_

"Harley…Harley hunny. You okay?" Harley looked up from the bar to see Amanda bent over trying to make eye contact. Harley lifted her head and rotated her wrist, which had been supporting her head for God knows how long.

"Sorry Amanda. Were you saying something?" Amanda smiled.

"Hunny where were you? Johnny says you keep zoning out on us. You're not having a memory relapse are you?" Harley shook her head.

"Nah. I'm just thinking of old times before I met Mr. J and all of you." Amanda folded her arms and leaned forward on the bar.

"Sometimes I forget that you had a life before the boss. What were you like as a young and hopeful student?" Harley laughed to herself.

"The more I remember, the more I think I was just as I am now. I've always been of the belief that Mr. J made me who I am today, but I'm not so sure. Sometimes I feel that I've always been this," Harley gestured to herself, "He just made me more of whatever _this_ is."

Amanda nodded. "Well for the record, I never thought you were insane. I've always believed that you are with the boss because you love him, admire him, whatever. Your reasons are your own, but it's not because he muddled your brain into taking the sanity emergency exit. You're too smart to be just a blind follower."

Harley smirked. "Thanks Amanda, but sometimes I wonder."

Just then Jeanie approached with a tray of empty shot glasses.

"Amanda, can you fill me up? It's a crazy crowd tonight." Amanda winked at Harley.

"The chaos never dies." Harley smiled and rested her head back on her hands.

 _"_ _Come on. Take a break. Your back will get all messed up if you don't straighten out." Harleen forced the cardboard cup under Dr. Crane's nose. He shot Harleen a look as he straightened up in his chair and wrapped his hands around the warm drink. Harleen smiled and settled herself down onto the couch, wrapping her legs under her. She held her coffee delicately in her hands, as if it were a precious crystal that would shatter if dropped. Harleen closed her eyes in contentment as she took her first life giving sip. Dr. Crane couldn't help but smile at his newest intern. She was so sure of herself yet somehow had an overwhelming innocence about her. Dr. Crane took a small sip from his drink and leaned back against his chair, suddenly feeling awkward in the silence. He felt the sting of social convention to make small talk._

 _"_ _Do your parents live in Gotham?"_

 _Harleen shrugged. "Maybe. I haven't seen them since I was fifteen. I sort of divorced them," she replied with a quiet giggle. Dr. Crane furrowed his brow._

 _"_ _Do you live on campus?" Harleen nodded, swallowing another sip of coffee._

 _"_ _And before that?" Harleen smiled, but shrugged again._

 _"_ _I lived around. Basement here, couch surf there. You know how it is. The people of Gotham are always open to strays."_

 _Dr. Crane stood up form his desk and moved to the chair in front, placing his latte on the coffee table._

 _"_ _Why did you leave your parents?"_

 _Harleen lay back on the couch and stared at the ceiling._

 _"_ _Drug addicts…terrible ones too. They never had the money for the good stuff so they were forced to build their own pitiful little meth lab. The stuff they made was pure shit. I mean if you're going to be a druggie in Gotham, at least attempt to be a higher class of druggie. People take no pride in their work anymore. It's so unappealing" Harleen turned to look at Dr. Crane, who put a hand to his mouth to disguise his laughter. His concealment caused Harleen to break out into peels of giggles, which in turn gave the doctor permission to release his own. Their collective chuckling resonated down the halls as all the tension in the dark little office was dispelled at once._

 _"_ _So Miss Quinzel, what does appeal to you?" Dr. Crane asked, leaning forward._

 _Harleen sat up again. "People who yearn to quench the thirst of their academic desires by doing whatever is necessary to achieve their artistic visions. Talent and passion are the most attractive qualities a person can have in my opinion. When you watch a violinist bow across the strings because he's keeping the Devil himself at bay with his harmonies, or when the most brilliant psychiatrist in the world paints his knowledge onto a chalkboard with the hopes that someone might find understanding in his words, how can one not be brought to orgasmic heights?" Harleen met Dr. Crane's gaze and smiled meekly. "There I go again, waxing shit poetry." Dr. Crane's mouth parted slightly and for the first time since Harleen had met him, he was speechless._

 _"_ _What appeals to you Dr. Crane?" The doctor nearly choked on his coffee at the suddenness of the question. "I'm sorry?"_

 _Harleen leaned forward on her knees. "What do you find attractive in others? What draws you to some and repels you from others?" Dr. Crane smiled, straightened his glasses and returned to his desk._

 _"_ _I think we should get back to work." Harleen nodded and returned to her exam key, smiling to herself that she had finally made her doctor blush._

A whistle broke Harleen from her trance. She looked up to find Dr. Crane descending the stairs and Joker beckoning her to him with a single curled finger. As she made her way to the booth, Harleen turned to Dr. Crane as he made his exit.

"I trust everything went well Doctor?" Dr. Crane cleared his throat and smiled.

"Yes, Miss Quinn. I believe we will be seeing a lot more of each other…if that appeals to you." Harley smiled.

"I look forward to it." Harley shook Dr. Crane's hand in a show of mock professionalism and with that, Dr. Crane was quickly led out of the club by Johnny.

When Harley entered the booth, Joker was wearing an expression that could almost be described as peaceful. Harley smiled at his good manner and settled next to him, folding her legs under her and leaning her head against his chest. Joker's outstretched arm folded in as he slowly drew his fingers up and down her bare arm.

"Do we have him puddin'?"

"The only thing he asked for was not to die on the job or go to prison. What a lunatic." Harley giggled happily, which got her a kiss on the top of her head.

"I will say this. I think he's taken quite a shine to you kitten."

Harley scoffed. "Then he really is crazy."

Joker gave a low chuckle. He straightened out and brought Harley's face to his own with a single finger under her chin. Joker gently pressed his lips to Harley's, which made her heart flutter.

"Will you do something for me pumpkin?"

Harley grinned. "Anything boss."

Joker's grin widened as he looked over his darling girl. "Keep an eye on him and make him happy." Harley understood the implication and nodded.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi Everyone. Here comes the next chapter flying at you.  
Please let me know what you think. I have so many ideas for the Harley/Crane thing, but I'm keeping them out of this story to keep it contained. Let me know if you want more or less or whatever.  
Happy Reading :)**

Joker paced back and forth in his office, clenching and unclenching his fists. His normally tidy hair was hanging around his eyes and his tie was draped around his neck. His shirt was half untucked and the moonlight that shone through the window only highlighted the dark circles underneath his eyes. It had been two weeks since his meeting with Dr. Crane and since that night he had heard not a word.

"HARLEY!" Small footsteps were heard quickly pattering down the hallway. The door creaked open slowly.

"What's the matter puddin'?" Harley stood in the doorway in one of Joker's old dress shirts, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Joker continued to pace.

"Why hasn't that imbecile doctor called? I thought I told you to make him happy and watch him. Where is he?"

Harley blinked away her drowsiness. _Seriously, this couldn't wait till morning?_

"Well boss he does have an asylum to run. I heard Ivy got transferred there a couple days ago so needless to say; he's got his hands full. He can only work on the toxin when he's not at his day job."

"What kind of super criminal has a day job? Is the economy really that bad?"

Harley giggled sleepily. "He can't arouse suspicion. You know that. I can assure you, the toxin is progressing; just as you asked."

Joker walked over to his desk and slumped into the chair like an impatient child.

"I hate waiting," he mumbled into his folded hands. Harley smiled and leaned back on the desk in front of her clown.

"I know boss, but you'll have to be patient. This will be your greatest achievement to date. Can you imagine the look on the old bat's face when he sees his precious city literally paralyzed in fear?" Joker smiled and brought Harley onto his lap.

"Kitten, you always know how to cheer me up." Harley let out a snicker and kissed him lightly on his forehead. She wrapped her arms around Joker and was surprised that he allowed her to hold him in an embrace. _Hugs are not his thing._

"Harley," he cooed, "I'm sending you on a little mission tomorrow."

Harley raised her head and stared at him with dream filled blue eyes. "Where am I going?"

Joker grinned widely. "Arkham."

Harley jumped off of Joker and shrieked in horror. "Arkham? You want me to go to Arkham Asylum?"

Joker stood up angrily. "Well I'm not sending you to Arkham Aquarium. Yes, Arkham Asylum. I need to you to lean on our good doctor." Joker walked over to the fireplace while Harley looked on in shock.

"But puddin' I told you, he's working on the toxin. He's…"

"Not fast enough. I'm tired of waiting. You tell him it needs to be done by the end of the week or it will be both your heads."

Harley fell into the chair behind the desk. "How am I supposed to even get in? I can't exactly waltz through the front door."

Joker stretched his arms across the mantle. "I've already arranged for Dr. Crane to have a meeting with Harriet Isley, Pamela's concerned younger sister. You will be there tomorrow at ten o'clock." Harley stood up sadly and began to make her way for the door.

"Oh Harley one more thing."

"Y-yeah boss?" Joker glided towards Harley and gently took her by both shoulders.

"Come back with the toxin or don't come back at all."

"But you said I had till the end of …" **SLAM** The door barely missed Harley's nose as it crashed onto its frame. She stared at the closed door in shock. _What in the hell do I do now?_ Harley dragged her feet back to the bedroom and entered her giant closet. She stared at her collection forlornly. Harley hated going anyway under cover. Her wigs itched terribly and she despised dressing in anything that wasn't herself. She pulled a red wig off its Styrofoam head base, and grabbed her grey pencil skirt and blue blouse. _I guess I should be as un me as possible._ Harley placed a pair of boring black pumps beside the bench before turning back and falling into her bed. _Screw it. The rest can wait until morning._ Harley sighed deeply as her pillow enveloped her head and her eyelids drooped shut. Her body sunk into the mattress as the heaviness of her limbs pulled her into sleep.

 _"Miss Quinzel?" Harleen's eyes fluttered open as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up lazily to see Dr. Crane looking at her through equally tired eyes. She shook herself awake quickly and began fussing with her papers._

 _"I'm so sorry Dr. Crane. I didn't mean to…" Dr. Crane smiled and raised his hand gently._

 _"It's all right Miss Quinzel. Perhaps you would be more comfortable sleeping in your own bed rather than my office." Harleen met his gentle smile with her own sheepish grin._

 _"You may be right." She grabbed her book bag and got up to leave. Dr. Crane held the door open for her._

 _"Sleep well. We'll continue our work in the morning." Harleen nodded and left down the hall. Her hands were covered in spots of red ink. She had done so much midterm marking she could barely see straight anymore. It was late and a cool wind blew across the campus. Harleen pulled her red coat around her body tightly and folded up the collar against the wind. Her heels clicked along the ground as leaves blew around the hem of her skirt. Harleen was passing the science buildings when she heard thick footsteps behind her. She pushed her dorm key in between her fingers and made a fist in her pocket, ready for anything. As she turned the corner to go past the arts theatres, Harleen heard one pair of footsteps become two. They were uneven and she could hear heavy breathing. (Drunk). Suddenly, two pairs of shoes grew to three. The third was coming from a different direction and soon Harleen found herself cornered. The three men were intoxicated, but large enough where it didn't matter. The first closed the distance between himself and Harleen alarmingly quickly._

 _"You're pretty."_

 _-"You're not. Please get out of my way." The other two came in closer. The second stunk of cheap cologne and gym sweat._

 _"Now that's not very nice. We're just being friendly."_

 _Harleen tried to smile. "Another time perhaps." She tried to walk around the men, but was again cut off from her path._

 _"Oh, come on now. Don't be so stuck up. You look like you could loosen up."_

 _Harleen rolled her eyes. "It's a little late in the evening to be looking to steal my lunch money don't you think?"_

 _The first and biggest of the three pushed Harleen against the wall. "You have a smart mouth on you hotness, but I can think of a better use for it." His two buddies stumbled as their laughter controlled their balance. The goon pushed himself flat against Harleen as his hand slid down her back and grabbed her rear tightly. Harleen looked over at the intruding limb and sighed. Turning back to her drunken attacker with a look of complete boredom, she kicked him as hard she could between his legs. The guy doubled over in pain. The second, smallest of the three came running at Harleen and flicked a knife open towards her face._

 _"You stupid bitch. I'll cut those pretty lips clean off your face." He made a wild slash at Harleen. She blocked it with her forearm, but the blade made a hot cut from her wrist to her elbow. Harleen bit her bottom lip to prevent her from crying out in pain. The third brute ran at Harleen while she was distracted and shoved her to the ground. Her head made a sickening crack on the cement sidewalk when she heard a distinct hissing sound followed by her three attackers screaming for their lives. Harleen lay flat on the ground, taking delight in the screams and cries of her idiot enemies. When the silence fell, she opened her eyes and was stunned to see a man standing over her wearing a burlap bag over his head. She studied the face and then grinned widely when she saw two piercing blue eyes staring at her from behind the fabric._

 _"You're late." Dr. Crane removed his mask and looked down at Harleen with a studious smirk._

 _After helping the injured blond to her feet, Dr. Crane immediately began running. "Come on. We have to get out of here before the campus security arrive." Harleen laughed quietly._

 _"So that's your big fear? Overweight guards with tasers?" Dr. Crane didn't slow his pace._

 _"No, I just prefer having a reliable income." Dr. Crane led the way as they ran across the lawns._

 _"Dr. Crane I live in the dorms on the west side. We're going the wrong way."_

 _"You're not safe there. You're coming with me," the doctor called out over his shoulder. They jogged quickly to the parking garage where Dr. Crane escorted Harleen to his car. Harleen stopped in disbelief, still clutching her bloodied arm._

 _"This is your car?" Dr. Crane unlocked the passenger door and waited for Harleen to climb in._

 _"Yes, why is it so impossible?"_

 _"Because this is a god damned Mercedes-AMG GT. There's no way you're bad ass enough to own a car like this…sir."_

 _Dr. Crane smirked. "Well get in and find out." Harleen slid into the leather seat, but waited before swinging her legs inside as Dr. Crane removed his suit jacket and bound it around Harleen's arm as tightly as he could._

 _"This should hold till we get to my place." Harleen sighed as she slid down into the soft black leather._

 _"Are you okay Miss Quinzel?" Harleen looked over as the doctor fired up the engine. The low purr made her swoon._

 _"Sorry …just have a thing for fast cars." Again, Dr. Crane gave Harleen a puzzled smile, but didn't think more of it as he peeled out of the parking lot. As the engine revved higher, Harleen's chest began to rise and fall dramatically. Her head flopped to the side to drink in the image of her racing doctor. When he could, Dr. Crane's eyes glanced at Harleen and she would giggle as his cheeks flushed with each sensual sigh that escaped her lips. He licked his to maintain some semblance of control. The city was a blur as they wound through the streets of Gotham. The ecstasy of the throbbing of the engine coupled with the pulsing pain that was shooting through her arm was almost more than Harleen could bear, as she squeezed her thighs together to try and dull the new ache that was forming in her centre. Harleen smirked as she saw the white knuckles gripping the wheel and the speedometer rising the more she moaned softly._

 _The car nearly bottomed out when they entered the garage to Dr. Crane's building, he hit the lip so hard. The tires screeched as he sped into his stall. Killing the engine, Dr. Crane looked over to Harleen who was blissed out in the passenger seat, his jacket now completely soaked through with blood. He jumped out of the car and swung round to help Harleen out of her seat._

 _"We need to get you upstairs Miss Quinzel. You've lost a lot of blood." Harleen began to feel lightheaded, so she allowed Dr. Crane to wrap his arm around her to help her into the elevator. Her senses were overwhelmed with the scent of fresh soap mixed with a mid-range cologne (that's new)._

 _Harleen came to seated at a kitchen table and found Dr. Crane sitting in front of her, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and stitching the long cut along her arm._

 _"Why don't I feel anything?"_

 _"I gave you something for the pain."_

 _"What?"_

 _Dr. Crane smiled coyly. "A magician never reveals his secrets."_

 _Harleen raised her eyebrows in acknowledgement. "I guess I should get used to you drugging me then should I?"_

 _Dr. Crane returned to his craftwork. "Oh no. The first time was an experiment. My only failure in the field of psycho-pharmacology oddly enough." He snapped the thread and wrapped gauze around Harleen's arm snuggly._

 _"However, tonight's trial proved that I finally have the correct dosage."_

 _Harleen knitted her brow. "Dosage for what?" Dr. Crane didn't answer, but gave a small smile as he packed up his first aid kit._

 _"Thank you Dr. Crane," Harleen called as she straightened out her dress, "You do good work."_

 _Dr. Crane stood at the kitchen sink washing the blood from his hands. "Well I am a medical doctor." Harleen giggled happily as she sipped the water her doctor had handed her earlier. Dr. Crane leaned back against the kitchen counter and drummed his fingers awkwardly on the granite. Harleen couldn't help but notice how strong his forearms looked. She had never seen her doctor out of his suit jacket never mind with rolled up sleeves. It was practically indecent. A smirk played upon her face as she imagined if the rest of him looked as strong. Dr. Crane's coughing broke her mini fantasy._

 _"Well, I'll just set up the spare room for you to sleep." He disappeared into the second bedroom as Harleen finished her water._

 _"You want me to stay here tonight?"_

 _"Well I can't drop you off at the dormitories. A professor with a student late at night," Dr. Crane swung his head around the corner with a smirk on his face, "What would the neighbours say?" He disappeared back into the room, wrapping the bed in fresh sheets and blankets. Harleen's pulse increased as she recalled Dr. Crane taking down the three muggers with such ease. The memory of their screams made Harleen's pupils dilate. The ache was returning to her centre when Dr. Crane emerged from the bedroom._

 _"The room is all ready for you Miss Quinzel."_

 _Harleen nodded. "Thank you, sir. Sleep well." Dr. Crane nodded and retreated to his room. Harleen looked about the plain looking room. It felt completely untouched. The carpet was old, but held no depressions at all except for the recent foot traffic of her doctor. Harleen unzipped the black dress she was wearing and stepped out of it gingerly. She folded her dress and all her undergarments and placed them on the chair next to the bed, knowing they would be worn tomorrow. Harleen opened the closet to see if there was anything that might suit for bedclothes and was pleased to find a bunch of old dress shirts hanging. Harleen selected a shirt in light blue and slipped it carefully over her arm and did up the middle four buttons. The cotton was soft and created tiny electrical sensations along her skin. She sat on the bed quietly and undid her hair, which fell in gentle waves below her shoulders._

 _Harleen knew she had a decision to make. Working so close with the doctor had become torturous, but now she had an opportunity to release her darkest wants. The only thing that was holding her to the bed was the tiny bit of remaining reason suffocating in her brain, telling her she could be expelled if she acted on her desires._

 _Harleen left her bed untouched as she quietly let the door click onto its latch._

 _Harleen entered Dr. Crane's bedroom without knocking, but her doctor didn't seem too fazed. Her breath hitched in her throat as she drank in the sight before her. Dr. Crane was sat up, reading in bed. His top half lay completely bare, while his legs were beneath a thick, navy quilt. Dr. Crane's form was just as strong as his forearms suggested and Harleen cursed her cheeks for flushing._

 _"Miss Quinzel. Is something wrong?" Dr. Crane asked with feigned confusion._

 _Harleen leaned up against the door. "I don't want to sleep." Dr. Crane closed his book, and placed it on his bedside table along with his glasses. He gestured for Harleen to sit at the edge of his bed. Harleen sat down next to him, leaning her back against the straightened pillows._

 _"You know Dr. Crane. It was very unkind of you, what you did to me tonight."_

 _Dr. Crane smirked and raised an eyebrow. "I saved your life tonight Miss Quinzel. How is that unkind?"_

 _Harleen tucked her legs under and pushed herself closer. "Well, you make three men much larger than yourself scream and cower at your feet, then you steal me into the night in the most lust inducing car in Gotham, and then just when I think I can't take anymore, you put me in a room by myself with no hope of resolution. That's cruel and unusual Doctor."_

 _A slow smile began to creep along her doctor's face. "My apologies. What do you suggest I do to rectify this gross oversight Miss Quinzel?"_

 _Harleen let out a low giggle as she slowly crawled on top of her doctor, straddling his lap. "Well, we both know that whatever you gave those men tonight doesn't work on me." Dr. Crane nodded._

 _Harleen leaned forward and softly brushed her lips against Dr. Crane's ear. "So, I'm afraid you're just going to have to find another way to make me scream."_

 _Dr. Crane's eyes darkened and his thoughtful smile became a lust filled grin as he grabbed Harleen by the shoulders, and flipped her under him._

 _His voice was low and thick. "Oh Harleen…you naughty girl." His lips crashed hard in Harleen's. The sound of buttons hitting the floor echoed in the room as Dr. Crane tore his shirt from Harleen's body. In that moment, months of built up tension and desire were released into the night. (What will the neighbours say?)_

Harley woke up, the aching between her legs almost making her blind. She looked over and saw Joker sleeping happily, starfished on his stomach. _I wonder if he knows._ _Of course he does. He did a background check on his barber for cryin' out loud. He probably knows more about my past than I do._ Harley sighed and returned her head to her pillow. She glanced over at the clock hanging over the dresser. It was still early, but Harley decided to get up and take her time getting ready.

The hot water from the shower provided blessed relief to Harley's overpowering memories. She let her hands gently roam over her body, hoping that it might allow her to maintain composure for her meeting today. Harley considered her position carefully. She couldn't stand the idea of disappointing her clown prince. He had such a strong hold over her. There was nothing she wouldn't do for his love…even if meant throwing herself to another. Harley smiled to herself as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair. While the Joker had incredible power over her, she trusted that she still held something over her doctor. _It's so much fun watching clever people go to pieces._ Suddenly, Harley felt a twitch in her stomach; the smallest pang of guilt. She didn't want to hurt Dr. Crane. She wanted him on the team. The idea of breaking his heart, however cold it may be was a very unpleasant thought to her.

Harley braided her hair and tucked it neatly beneath the wavy red wig. She popped green contact lenses into her eyes, and began slathering herself in skin toned foundation. Harley came out of the bathroom and made her way to the closet. Joker was awake and on his phone, speaking in a low growl that gave Harley chills. Once dressed, Harley gathered her keys off the dresser and made her way to the door.

"You're not leaving the house dressed like that." Harley turned to see Joker glaring at her. She stared down at her conservative dress.

"What's wrong with it?" Joker rolled his eyes, got out of bed and made his way to her closet.

"Oh nothing if you're going to teach a Sunday school class. God Harls, when did you get so unimaginative?" Suddenly garments were flying out of her closet, landing in every direction.

Harley gritted her teeth and walked towards the bed. "I thought I wasn't supposed to attracted any attention."

Joker poked his head round the door. "Well mission accomplished. Not even the doc would notice you standing in his office." He stomped out and threw a low cut, red halter dress that flared at the waist on the bed.

Harley scoffed. "Come on boss. Dr. Crane isn't so dumb as to fall for such an obvious seduction play."

Joker whipped around and slapped Harley hard across the face. He laughed as the palm of his hand got covered in foundation.

"Good idea hiding all your wrinkles. But Harls, don't ever question my authority…EVER!" Harley frowned as she touched her cheek softly and changed into the red dress.

Harley assessed herself in her small compact mirror as Johnny drove her to the asylum entrance.

"I'm so used to busting people out, it feels weird to drop someone off," Johnny remarked, trying to break the silent tension. Harley smiled weakly.

"Yeah I bet. The boss said I used to work here?" Harley stared up at the broken and gothic façade of the facility.

Johnny nodded. "This is where you two met. You were his psychiatrist."

Harley pictured herself in a white lab coat. "Sounds romantic," she replied sarcastically. Johnny opened her door for her and handed her an open umbrella as she stepped out.

"Good luck Miss Quinn." Harley looked back at Johnny and put her small, gloved hand on his forearm. With a deep breath, she confidently walked up the stone steps to the main office entrance.

The reception was poorly lit and the cold radiated off the stones. Harley plastered on a fake smile as she made her way to the security desk. An overweight security guard stared at her through thick glass, unimpressed that this new presence was going to make him do stuff. Harley held her smile in place.

"Good morning. I have an appointment with Dr. Jonathon Crane."

"Name?" Harley paused to remember before answering.

"Harriet Isley." Harley breathed a sigh of relief when the guard found her name on his list.

After sending Harley's purse and herself through the necessary detectors, Harley was handed her things and left to her own devices without another word.

 _All right Dr. Crane. Where are you hiding?_ As Harley came round the corner, she was suddenly struck with the familiar settings. _I know this._ Without really looking as to where she was going, Harley made her way to the elevator and pushed the button to the top floor. She entered a dark hallway, which only held a few doors. Making her way to the last door on the left, she knocked gently.

"Come in." Harley was quick to make sure the door didn't slam shut as she gently pushed it back onto its latch.

Dr. Crane looked up from his desk and a small smirk played on his lips.

"Miss Isley, so nice to see you. Please have a seat." He gestured to the leather chair in front of his desk. Harley nodded and ventured deeper into the office.

"I'm amazed you found my office without the assistance of the guards, but then again it's hard to shake off old employments isn't it Miss Quinn."

Harley smirked. She knew that Dr. Crane would see through her in an instant.

"Well I had to get past your crack security team somehow." Harley removed the wig and shook her blond locks free. She undid the buttons of her coat and shook the raindrops free. She crossed her ankles and placed her folded hands in her lap, waiting for Dr. Crane to return to his seat.

"May I infer from your presence here today, coupled with the dress He has put you in, that your boss has become impatient with my progress and you are here to speed up the process?"

Harley smiled. "As always Dr. Crane, you miss nothing. How is the toxin coming along?"

Dr. Crane opened his hands. "I have nothing to add to my report that was sent yesterday. Perfection is not an exact science."

Harley sat up straight in her chair. "Look Dr. Crane. I know you're doing your best, but if you don't have that toxin ready by the end of the week, then we're both on the chopping block and I mean that literally."

Dr. Crane rested his chin on his folded hands. "Your boss asks the impossible. He…"

"…always gets what he wants Dr. Crane. Trust me, once you accept that fact, life gets a whole lot easier."

Dr. Crane removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Harley had to stop herself from falling into the sharp pools of blue that looked back at her. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair before returning his gaze back to Harley.

"So what do we do?"

Harley smiled coyly as she shrugged off her coat. She leaned forward in her chair. Her voice was low.

"Well, I actually have some thoughts on that."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi Everyone. I'm so sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I was having a major writer's block.  
I'm sure people are sort of wondering what Joker is doing in this story. He is very much the antagonist in this piece...well for the moment anyway.  
Also another warning is this chapter gets a bit dark so I apologize ahead of time if anyone gets offended.  
Anyhoo...I hope you like it and please let me know what you think. :)**

"No, I can't. It's not possible." Dr. Crane paced about his office, rubbing his hands through his hair.

"Oh come on Dr. Crane. I used to be a pretty good assistant if you remember," Harley smiled.

Dr. Crane scoffed. "Yeah, look how that turned out."

"I don't recall you complaining at the time." Harley scowled and sank back into her chair. "Is the toxin ready for testing?"

Dr. Crane stood up and moved to the window where rain continued to distort the scenery. "Technically yes, but combining the two compounds together has been unexpectedly difficult."

Harley giggled to herself. "I'm not surprised. Not even Mr. J's chemicals play nicely with others. Don't you have some unruly patients on whom you can test this stuff? I thought that was the whole point of you being here."

Dr. Crane shook his head. "I can't just test new product on anyone. Treating extreme cases of paranoia perfected my fear toxin. When injected, they would have to face every fear that would manifest in their minds. The injections would in a way, burn out the fears of the patient. The vapor I developed later simply drove people into fear-induced comas. It proved incredibly effective when it came to silencing those who simply needed to be settled permanently. This new formula…it can do everything your boss wants, but it's permanent. I have yet to figure out how to make the effect temporary. At this moment, if we were to send this vapor into Gotham, everyone would be rendered a giggling, quivering, vegetable until they all starved to death."

Harley was sitting on the edge of her chair staring wide-eyed at the mad scientist doctor. "Beautiful," she whispered. Dr. Crane turned to meet her gaze and scoffed.

"Beautiful until your boss kills me for not meeting expectations." Harley stood up and moved to the bookshelf. She breathed in the old and musty scent of the volumes that once lined Dr. Crane's office in the university. Her fingers gently caressed the spines.

"So you have tested the toxin?"

Dr. Crane shook his head. "Not on humans thus far. I need a level brain to get an accurate result."

Harley thought for a moment, thumbing through an old textbook on Jungian theory.

"You get called to court quite often don't you Dr. Crane?"

Dr. Crane furrowed his brow. "Yes all the time. Every thug in Gotham is trying to plead insanity to stay out of Blackgate. Why?"

Harley smiled. "Well they're stupid brains, but they're level. Test your toxin on them. If it doesn't work, then they get transferred here to live out their days as a little Arkham artichoke. If it works, then we record the results and they get to rot in Blackgate."

Dr. Crane slammed his hand into the window, knocking raindrops to the ground. "That's genius. Why didn't I think of that? Miss Quinn, you may be just the assistant I needed after all." Harley beamed inside that she had finally done something right. She wanted nothing more than to run home and tell Joker of her triumph, but stared out the window sadly, remembering her banishment.

"Do you remember my working here Dr. Crane?"

The doctor was writing frantic notes in his book, but paused at the sad voice of the unsure blond standing by his window.

"Of course. You found out about your appointment on your convocation day. I was deeply proud. You were one of my top students." Harley gave a small smile.

"Was I any good?" Dr. Crane put his book down and sat back on his desk with crossed arms.

"I thought you were too compassionate, but you were incredibly good at reading people. You always so things that others missed, because you refused to believe in pure evil. Perhaps that's why you fell so hard for the Joker. …I wonder what fears lay in that green haired head of his."

Harley laughed to herself. "I think the only thing Mr. J fears is that one day someone will destroy the Bat before him."

A silence fell between the two, as both were temporarily lost in memory. Harley rubbed her neck and chuckled softly.

"So what do you need to begin testing?" Dr. Crane turned back to his desk and opened his timetable.

"I'm meeting with a fresh convict in two days. I can prepare a new batch of serum, but I need more fear gas from your boss."

"All of Mr. J's supply is in the basement of the Iceberg Lounge. Getting at it shouldn't be a problem. Can you meet me there tonight?"

Dr. Crane raised an eyebrow. "At the Penguin's hideout? Me? Are you serious?"

Harley rolled her eyes. "Do you want the serum or not?"

The doctor's shoulders slumped. "Fine. 10pm?"

Harley settled her itchy wig back onto her head. "It's a date," she smiled, "Meet me at the bar." Just then there was a knock at the door. Dr. Crane straightened his jacket and opened the door to find Aaron Cash standing there nervously. Harley took her leave as Dr. Crane escorted her out.

"Thank you Miss Isley. I will definitely take your advice about Pamela's potting soil into consideration." Harley smiled politely as she left. Cash narrowed his eyes upon seeing Harley, but luckily she skipped down the hall before he had a chance to place her face.

Harley stood outside under her umbrella as Johnny pulled around with the car.

"You know the boss told me to just leave you here. I'm not supposed to pick you up."

-"Take me back to the house John."

"And he definitely said I wasn't to let you within 100 meters of the house."

-"That's great and all John, but I need clothes and supplies. Is he home at the moment?"

"Well, no he's at the club with his blueprints…"

-"…so no problem then. I won't be five minutes." Johnny sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win the argument and turned back into Gotham, making his way to Joker's house. They quietly pulled up to the front.

"Five minutes and that's it." Harley grinned and leapt out of the Bentley. She raced through the front door and bounded up the stairs. Her hyenas jumped at her legs and nibbled on the hem of her dress.

"Not now babies. Momma's on the run." Harley ran into the bedroom, grabbed her suitcase and filled it with whatever clothing and makeup she could fit inside.

By the time Harley emerged from the house with her suitcase, Johnny had driven off, presumably back to the club. _Bastard._ Harley dragged her case behind her, which luckily had wheels as she made her way down the lonely streets of Gotham to the Gotham Astoria. Bruce Wayne owned the Astoria. Apparently he bought it so he could go swimming or at least that was the story in the tabloids. _That guy's crazier than Mr. J._ The manager eyed her disheveled appearance, but like most well dressed men, looked the other way when Harley slapped down an envelope full of money on the front desk.

"Room 801 Miss Isley. Please let us know if you will require anything else and welcome to the Gotham Astoria." Harley nodded with a polite smile, took the key gently and made her way to the gold encased elevator. The room was luxurious to the point it made Harley wary of touching anything. She set out her clothes and filled the bathroom with make up and hair appliances. The bathtub was amazingly deep and once filled with hot water and bath oil, Harley's nerves melted into heated bliss. She laughed as the thick foundation she wore slid off her skin and dyed the water a funny shade of peach. _There goes my damage deposit._ Harley gently scrubbed Harriet off her skin. After draining and refilling the tub with fresh water, Harley laid back and rested her eyes, hoping tonight would go well. A lazy eyebrow was raised when Harley heard her phone buzz.

"Tie or no?" Harley dried her hands before replying.

"Oh definitely tie. Can't lead you around without one." She internally cursed her flirty impulses as she hit send, but the guilt was only a moment.

Harley put the finishing touches to her face. She loved how the dark eye shadow made her blue eyes glow. Her dark red lipstick filled each grin with evil intent. She kept her hair in loose curls, which allowed the red and blue to play together. Harley carefully snapped her netted stockings into her garter and slid her low cut, high rise, red dress over everything. She loved how the satin shimmered in the light. Once she closed the last snaps on her black heels, Harley put her lock picking kit into her clutch, next to her lipstick and made her way downstairs to get a cab.

The Iceberg Lounge would normally never let something so pedestrian as a cab so much as pull up in front of their club, but once Harley stepped out, the doormen straightened up and stared ahead. Harley had to admit, she kind of enjoyed having such an insane reputation. As she stepped into the club, she felt the temperature drop. Cobblepot liked to keep the air cool and the music fast. It was much more upbeat than the chunky rock that often played at The Knife Edge. Harley felt a small amount of pity for the dancers whose costumes seemed to be holding on for dear life. As she took in the blue ice of the walls, Harley smirked when she caught sight of her highly out of place doctor. Dr. Crane was dressed in a well tailored black suit with a dark blue shirt instead of a white shirt, but the same old black tie. Harley walked over, putting one foot directly in front of the other to make her hips sway. When Dr. Crane's gaze finally met Harley's, his mouth and drink nearly hit the floor. Harley quickly caught the tumbler.

"Now now Doctor. We don't want to have any accidents our first night out, do we?"

Dr. Crane smirked as he took the glass back from Harley.

"I suppose I don't need to tell you how stunning you look tonight."

Harley giggled and toyed with her doctor's tie. "Tell me anyway," she whispered.

Dr. Crane cleared his throat. "You never dressed like this when you were a student."

Harley's eyes turned to the rest of the club, scouting for enemies. "Maybe I did and you just never noticed."

Dr. Crane took Harley's tie teasing hand and wrapped both of his hands around it.

"Oh I promise I would have noticed." Harley's breath hitched slightly as Dr. Crane placed the softest kiss on her knuckles.

"By the way, your boyfriend is here with Mr. Cobblepot." Harley pretended to get into the music.

"Where?"

Dr. Crane hopped off his barstool and stood behind Harley, holding onto her hips.

"They've been in his office for about an hour now," Dr. Crane breathed against Harley's neck. Harley turned around and once again grabbed Dr. Crane by his tie and pulled him onto the dance floor.

"Harley, what are you…"

"…we'll need to move to the basement soon. The best way to get lost is in the crowd. Besides, I want to see your moves Doctor," Harley smiled as she began to sway to the music. Dr. Crane looked panicked. Harley loved every moment. She took Dr. Crane's hands and placed them on her hips. Then she spun around so her back was to her doctor.

"Pull me close," she whispered. Harley grinned as her hips were violently pulled backwards against Dr. Crane's pelvis. Harley ran her hands through Dr. Crane's hair and as she sank lower, she let her hands roam his body, wondering if it still matched her memory. When Harley straightened up, she slowly circled her doctor, letting her hands slide over his form until they were eye to eye. Dr. Crane turned his head to the balcony that overlooked the club.

"Joker's on the balcony." Harley smiled as she wrapped her leg around Dr. Crane, the good doctor catching her thigh and rubbing intoxicating circles above her stocking with his thumb.

"Don't worry about him. He likes to watch," Harley whispered as she removed Dr. Crane's glasses and placed them neatly in his jacket pocket. His eyes sparkled and Harley was reminded of how easy it was to get lost within them.

Dr. Crane smirked. "That doesn't sound like the Joker. He doesn't strike me as one who shares."

Harley giggled as she led Dr. Crane further along the dance floor. "We call this the last dance. Men usually end up dead when the music ends."

"Usually?"

Harley turned and wrapped her arms around Dr. Crane's neck, dragging her nails across his scalp. "Not this time. This is me making a point." The doctor and his assistant disappeared behind a heavy metal door.

"What point would that be?" Harley knelt before a large vault door and pulled out her lock picking kit, refusing to answer her doctor's question.

Dr. Crane furrowed his brow in mild confusion, but remained silent as Harley picked away at the thick lock. Suddenly a low thud rang out and the vault door opened.

Dr. Crane stood in disbelief. "Cobblepot still has mechanical doors?"

Harley shrugged as she returned her tools to her bag. "What can I say? Ossie's old-school."

The vault door was heavy and opened to a room encased with old brick. Dr. Crane ran his fingers gingerly over the worn walls.

"This looks like an old bootlegger storage room."

Harley nodded. "Ossie comes from old money as it were. His family were bootleggers in Gotham during prohibition and I guess were pretty successful at it too."

Dr. Crane nodded thoughtfully until his eyes landed on the huge stacks of money that sat in the centre of the room. The cubes of bills were the size of dinner tables. Dr. Crane shook his head. "Does the old man not believe in bank deposits?"

Harley giggled as she searched through the plastic bins. "Would you put your money in a Gotham bank right now?" Dr. Crane again nodded and turned to help Harley search the bins.

"AHA. Here they are." Harley removed a cloth satchel that contained a dozen test tubes, all neatly organized in a row. Dr. Crane gently slid one of the tubes out of its cover and held it to the light. Harley wrapped her arms around the doctor's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder to share in the sight of the glowing green liquid.

"Will this be enough?"

Dr. Crane nodded, slipping his arm around Harley. "Oh yes. I only need a small sample, then I can replicate the rest. This chemical compound is actually incredibly simple and should be easy to reproduce."

"Give me a little credit Doc. You're holding one of my finest concoctions." Dr. Crane and Harley were both caught off guard by the purple suited vision leaning against the vault door.

"It wasn't a slight against your formula Joker," Dr. Crane replied, returning the test tube to its holder.

Joker slowly stepped forward. "I wasn't talking about the toxin." Harley began to rub her neck nervously before obediently stepping over the bins to take her place at Joker's side.

Dr. Crane tucked the satchel into his jacket. "It's simple but effective."

Joker laughed and wrapped a long arm around Harley's waist. "Yeah, she's got her uses." Harley uttered a breathy giggle while Dr. Crane attempted to hide his contempt with indifference.

Harley pretended to pout as she danced her fingers across Joker's chest. "When do I get to come home puddin'? I miss you."

Joker wore a gleeful grin as he turned to Dr. Crane. "Are we ready with the toxin?"

Dr. Crane removed his glasses from his pocket and returned them to his eyes. "We will begin human trials tomorrow."

Joker returned to Harley and gripped her chin roughly between his thumb and forefinger. "Then I'm afraid pooh, you'll just have to stay in that hotel of yours until the good doctor is done."

Joker gently drew the outline of Harley's face with his gloved fingers, tucking stray strands of blond hair behind her ear. "Tell me something Doc," Joker growled low as he positioned Harley in front of him. He wrapped one arm across her hips and one tightly across her shoulders.

"Have you enjoyed playing with my little toy here?"

Dr. Crane couldn't hide his contempt any longer. "Harley is not a toy Joker. She's a person."

Joker threw his head back as a metallic cackle echoed off the bricks. "That's rich coming from you. Your asylum is full of little toys for you to play with. People have the will to make decisions for themselves. Toys simply respond to the buttons you push." Joker proved his point by nipping gently at Harley's neck, causing her to gasp and unconsciously bend her head to the side to give her clown prince additional access. Dr. Crane's face remained expressionless, but his eyes burned with angry fire.

Joker's eyes went wide with feigned innocence. "You mean to tell me Doc, you haven't taken her out of the playpen?" Joker grabbed at one of Harley's breasts and began to harshly massage it. Harley let out a soft moan.

"Push this one's buttons in the right order," Joker's other hand lowered and raised Harley's skirt, where he pressed his fingers hard against her centre, causing Harley to cry out. "And she's like a God damned music box." A single tear rolled down Harley's cheek as her body betrayed her. She thought that she was above embarrassment, but the Joker was the most addicting drug in the world and her body couldn't help but react. Harley gritted her teeth to hide her reaction as Joker easily slid his fingers into her centre. Her cry was a bloodied mixture of ecstasy and hatred.

"That's enough Joker!" The sudden rise in Dr. Crane's voice made Joker stop his torture as a low growl spread across his lips. He smiled as his hands released Harley and he shoved her forward, knocking her off balance on her heels.

"Go ahead Doc. Have a turn with her." Harley ran into the darkest corner of the vault and sank down, drawing her knees to her chin. Dr. Crane wanted nothing more than to flood Joker with his own toxin there and then, but remained motionless.

"Be careful with my music box Doc. She's been played so many times, her notes may be out of tune." Joker turned on his heel and began making his way upstairs.

"I expect to hear of the progress with your toys tomorrow. Bye-bye Dr. Crane."

Dr. Crane listened carefully until he could hear Joker turn the corner at the top of the stairs. He growled lowly in his throat as his nails cut into his hands through clenched fists.

A small noise came from the corner stirring Dr. Crane out of his rage.

"Miss Quinn?" Dr. Crane searched among the boxes and bricks of money until he saw a small figure curled up in the furthest corner. He stood in front of Harley and sat on his knees in front of her.

"Harley…I…," Dr. Crane was lost for words.

Harley looked up at him like a wounded child and flung her arms around his neck. Dr. Crane rubbed her back gently and ran his other hand softly through her hair and she sobbed into his shoulder.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi Everyone. Here's the next chapter. I haven't head a lot about this story, but I'm still getting favs and follows on my first story so I'm not about to complain. :)  
As always please let me know what sucks and sucks a bit less.  
Thanks guys. You're all awesome.**

Dr. Crane unlocked the door to his apartment and held Harley's hand tightly as he guided her over the threshold. It had taken some discussion to convince Harley to stay at his place rather than her cold hotel room, but she eventually agreed.

Harley stood awkwardly in the kitchen, rubbing her neck while Dr. Crane put the kettle on.

"Why don't you go have a hot shower and wash today off your skin?"

Harley only lifted her head when Dr. Crane's hands landed on her shoulders as he rubbed her arms gently.

"I don't have anything to wear," she muttered quietly.

"I believe I still have some old dress shirts that I recall suit you very well," Dr. Crane answered with a playful glint in his eye.

Harley let out a small giggle and made her way to the bathroom. A hot shower sounded like Heaven right about now. As the steam filled her lungs and the scalding rain pelted her back, Harley felt the weight of the evening seep down the drain. She had never felt more uncertain of her reality. _Is He serious or is it all a big joke? Is my life just one big joke?_ Harley's concerns melted with the scent of fresh soap as the suds covered her in chilled comfort. Just before the water began to run cold, Harley shut off the taps and stepped out to find a large, white fluffy towel and a blue dress shirt waiting for her, folded neatly on the hamper. Harley smiled as she wrapped herself in the thick towel, breathing in her doctor's scent. It so warm and safe; Harley could have hid herself forever in the terrycloth. Eventually she realized she would have to face the world and so she slipped on the blue shirt and braided her hair into two plaits.

Dr. Crane was busy at his microscope, studying the newly acquired Joker toxin when the creak of the bathroom door jolted him back to reality. Seeing Harley in his dress shirt made Dr. Crane's mind flash to memories of their teacher/student days. He ran his fingers through his hair, hoping to hide his flushed cheeks.

"Tea?"

Harley smiled and nodded. "Always."

Dr. Crane poured two giant mugs of Earl Grey and handed one to Harley. She sighed as the heat filled her hands and the sweetness of the tea surrounded her. Dr. Crane broke her trance as he beckoned her over to the couch. Harley held the mug tightly as she settled onto the couch, tucking her legs beneath her. She gently leaned her head against her doctor's shoulder as he walked her through his latest paper for American Psychology True Freedom: The Liberation from Fear. Harley nodded and smiled at Dr. Crane's enthusiasm for his work. Her admiration for his professional passion had not dulled. After Dr. Crane finished his diatribe, he turned to Harley with a wide grin.

"What do you think?" Harley put her empty mug on the coffee table and brought the computer to her lap. She quickly typed in a video address and turned the screen back to the doctor. A fluffy cat was drinking quietly from his bowl of water when he turned and shot three feet into the air before running in terror.

Dr. Crane furrowed his brow. "Why is he afraid of a cucumber?"

Harley giggled. "You're the doctor of fear. You tell me." Harley smiled as Dr. Crane searched through video after video trying to find some pattern.

After a while, Dr. Crane closed his computer and stretched his arms high above his head. "Well, I have no explanation for that one." When he didn't receive a response, Dr. Crane looked over and found Harley snoring softly, resting her head on the arm of the couch. The doctor gently tucked his one arm under her legs, while the other cradled her head as he lifted Harley off the couch, holding her gently as if she were made of glass. Harley sleepily wrapped her arms around her doctor's neck.

"Stay with me," she whispered. Dr. Crane paused for a moment before changing course to his own bedroom.

He carefully deposited Harley into his bed and tucked her into the thick comforter. Harley snuggled into the quilt, breathing in the familiar scent. She was alone for a moment before Dr. Crane reentered the bedroom, dressed only in pajama pants. He sat on the edge of the bed, folded his glasses neatly on the bedside table, then swung his legs underneath the quilt. Harley sighed as two strong arms wrapped themselves around her small frame and pulled her close to the chest of her doctor. Dr. Crane placed a small, soft kiss on Harley's forehead before they both drifted off for much needed sleep.

The sun was streaming in through the window and burned Harley's tired eyes with an uncomfortable heat. She grimaced and rolled herself up tighter in the comforter. She blinked back her drowsiness when she discovered the ease at which the quilt moved. Harley was alone in the bedroom. She bolted upright, then held her head as her brain attempted to catch up to her body. All the memories of last night came flooding back in a chaos that made Harley rub her forehead in an attempt to sort it all out. _Coffee…need coffee._ Harley stood up and stretched tall, feeling a satisfying crack in her ankles and wrists. She had a quick look in the mirror to make sure everything was where she left it. After running her fingers through her hair in a vague attempt to tame it, Harley emerged from the bedroom into the living room. Dr. Crane sat quietly at the kitchen table, already dressed for the day and looking perfectly placed. He was reading through a well worn file, wearing an expression of boredom as he flipped through the pages. A small smile played on his lips as he watched Harley go for the fresh coffee like a zombie.

"Mugs are in the cupboard on the left."

"I remember," Harley replied sleepily. Once the ebony liquid was poured, Harley sat down across from her doctor, but refused to properly open her eyes until the first few sips had revived her. She sighed deeply at the heat travelling down through her gut.

"So you're meeting the test subject today?"

Dr. Crane stood up and retrieved his laptop. "Yes. I used the last of the original sample Joker gave me for this batch. Will you be ready to assist me today Miss Quinn?"

Harley laughed and waved a hand down her body. "In this? I might need some more clothes."

Dr. Crane shook his head. "No need. You don't have to leave my apartment. I want you to observe what goes on through the computer and then report to me on what you see."

Harley leaned forward on her elbows. "And just how am I suppose to observe when I'm stuck here?"

"I have a camera hidden in my tie clip."

"Where did you get that?"

Dr. Crane looked over his glasses at Harley and threw her a smile that said not to ask questions; although Harley also detected a hint of I'm going to throw you on top of this table. Needless to say, her hands twitched with electricity. Dr. Crane spun the computer to Harley and slid his tie clip into place.

"What can you see?"

Harley giggled and hid her fingers in her hair. "I see my morning face in all its atrocious glory."

Dr. Crane feigned frustration with the camera. "This stupid must be malfunctioning, because all I see in front of me is a golden haired angel who is afraid of nothing."

Harley let out a sarcastic laugh. "Knock it off doctor. Flattery will get you everywhere."

Dr. Crane stood up to lean over the table, closing the distance between himself and Harley. "Oh I hope so," he whispered. Harley laughed at the shameless flirting and moved herself and the computer to the couch. Dr. Crane placed the old file in his briefcase before snapping it shut.

"By the way, there's a small mic in my clip so you'll be able to hear everything that goes on as well." Harley nodded when suddenly she stood up and ran into the bedroom. Dr. Crane gave a small, confused smirk until Harley reemerged and threw him a plastic card.

"If I'm to stay here today, can you stop by the Astoria and grab all my things?" Dr. Crane stared at the card in his hand, and then placed it in the inner pocket of his jacket.

 _How long does to it take to get to the GCPD holding cells?_ Harley was leaning her head against her fist, trying to stay awake when suddenly her screen flashed to life. She watched as Dr. Crane moved across the parking lot towards the grey entrance. Everything was grey in Gotham. _Just the way I like it._

"Good morning Doctor Crane." A young brunette was full of smiles, sitting behind the desk at security, sending people through scanners and checking every bag and purse that came in. Harley held her breath, wondering how her doctor would get by with the toxin sitting in his briefcase. He quietly walked through the detector, but when his briefcase went through the scanner, a red light shone and a buzzer went off. The young guard looked at the transparent image that appeared on her screen.

"I'm sorry Dr. Crane. It seems that there's something in your briefcase my scanner doesn't like."

"You caught me," Dr. Crane said in a low voice, "I've got a paralyzing gas in there that I plan to unleash on Gotham and take control of the city as part of my plans for world domination." Harley couldn't see, but she knew that her doctor was wearing one of his most seductive grins. _I bet he even took his glasses off the flirty bastard._ She had to be at least half right, because the guard's cheeks flushed and she couldn't stop giggling.

"Oh Dr. Crane you're hilarious. Off you go." She handed the briefcase back to the doctor and he continued his journey into the bowels of the police station. After a brief discussion with the escorting officer, Dr. Crane was brought to the cell that held Mr. Tommy Bender. Harley had a pad of paper and a timer sitting next to her; ready to record whatever took place. She watched with anticipation as Dr. Crane sat himself in the cream coloured room across from Bender.

"Mr. Bender, do you have any history of alcohol or drug abuse in your family?"

Bender leaned forward on his cuffed hands. "My mom died from a heroin overdose. Does that count?" Harley scribbled down the fact.

"It most certainly does Mr. Bender. Any history of mental illness?"

Bender scrunched up his eyes like he was trying to remember a grocery list. "Yeah yeah, I have real bad nightmares and I've tried to kill myself…oh and I hear voices. Yeah lots of voices in my head all the time." Bender was pleased that he recited his list correctly. Harley doodled ghosts on her paper.

"Tell me Mr. Bender. What are you afraid of most in this world?" Bender screwed up his face.

"I don't know. Spiders and rats are pretty gross."

"No no Mr. Bender. I mean what fills you with terror? What keeps you up at night because it is the one thing that you could not live with in this world?"

Bender thought for a moment, then very quietly whispered, "Losing my little girl. She lives with her mom and I guess I'm afraid that I will never be able to see her again if I end up in Blackgate." Harley stopped doodling and stared at the image on her screen. The man was scuzzy and covered in poorly done tattoos. The average person would cross the street just to avoid his personal bubble, but Harley could see a certain sadness in his brown eyes. She could see that he probably only turned to a life of crime because he knew no other way to support his family. Dr. Crane's voice broke her thought train of pity.

"That's very good Mr. Bender. I think we really have something to work with here."

Bender looked hopeful. "Do you really think so Doc? I won't have to go to Blackgate?" Bender's eyes grew fearful as Dr. Crane's voice became muffled. _He must be wearing his mask._

"Oh I didn't say that Mr. Bender." Suddenly the image became clouded as the gas was released from Dr. Crane's briefcase. Harley hit the start button on her timer and watched intently as Bender began to scream.

 _1 minute of screaming._

Once the gas had cleared, Dr. Crane returned his mask to his case. Bender began to convulse before his entire body went stiff as a board. The camera moved over Bender and Harley see Dr. Crane taking a pulse.

"Pulse steady. Patient appears to be in REM sleep." Harley frantically wrote down Dr. Crane's outer monologue. She watched intently as Dr. Crane moved Bender's limbs back and forth.

"Muscle function appears to be normal." Bender began to giggle and then gasp in horror.

"It would seem the toxin is mixing visions. Each sensation of laughter is quickly followed by fear imagery or so it would seem." Harley watched her timer as Dr. Crane monitored Bender's vitals.

 _5 minutes between each outer expression of sensation._

After about half an hour Bender's eyes began to flutter open. He yawned sleepily and looked around with a confused look on his face. Harley assumed that's how he normally looked.

"Sorry Doc. You were saying?"

Dr. Crane studied Bender's face for an uncomfortable length of time. "How do you feel Mr. Bender?"

Bender shrugged his shoulders. "Fine I guess. Kinda tired. Got a killer headache."

Dr. Crane shut his briefcase and stood up. He knocked on the door to be let out.

"Thank you Mr. Bender. I believe that is all I need from you for now." Bender looked up, feeling pleased with himself, even as he was being led out of the interrogation room by his cuffs.

Dr. Crane shut off his tie camera and made his way out of the building to the parking lot. Just as he slid into his car, his phone buzzed. He reached into his jacket pocket and checked the lit up screen.

-Don't forget my stuff-

Dr. Crane smiled to himself and he texted back.

-On my way now. I'll miss you in my shirts-

Harley chuckled quietly to herself as she read the response. _Why is flirting with this guy so much fun?_ Harley began to write up a proper report and chart the progress of the first test subject when her phone rang. She stared at it for a moment when she realized it was an actual call. The caller display just said **J**. Harley thought for a moment before deciding she was still very upset by last night.

"Hey."

-"You're not at the hotel. Where are you?"

"Dr. Crane's apartment. I'm helping him with the human testing like you asked."

-"Well isn't that just cozy. I hope you're at least wearing pants."

Harley giggled inwardly as she sat with her bare legs crossed beneath her.

"What do you need boss?"

-"Oh that's a loaded question. I want the toxin to be ready, but I _need_ you in that dress again from last night. I _need_ you to be in that cellar again, but without your doctor snooping around."

Harley shivered as Joker's voice lowered. She could feel his wolfish grin crawl across her body.

"As I recall Mr. J, you had me in _that_ cellar, in _that_ dress, but instead of doing something about it, you humiliated me in front an associate. So get those thoughts right out of your head, because you missed your chance."

Joker was silent for a moment on the other end, but Harley could feel the tension through the line.

-"When are you coming home Harls?"

"When the toxin is completed, just as you asked."

-"Well how close are you?"

Harley smiled. "Do you miss me puddin'?"

-"Of course not. I don't care if you ever come home. I can make a thousand Harleys just like you."

Harley laughed slowly. "Oh Mr. J. There ain't nobody like me." Harley hit the call end button and smiled triumphantly.

Joker slammed his phone down in frustration and held his head in his hands. "You got that right kitten."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi Everyone. Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback and follows and favourites. It means so much to me truly.  
Okay here be the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. :)**

Harley had just finished cleaning the kitchen when the jingle of keys in the door grabbed her attention. In walked Dr. Crane with his arms full of suitcase and Chinese food. Harley squeaked with glee.

"There's a man after my own heart." Dr. Crane smiled sheepishly as Harley helped unload his burden. He set the suitcase down and rolled his wrists, working out the kinks. Harley excitedly rushed the bags of food to the kitchen and opened up the boxes like it was Christmas. Dr. Crane methodically grabbed plates and cutlery and set them gently out on the table.

"Oh wait. I forgot something." Dr. Crane returned to the door and pulled out a bottle of red wine from another bag. He presented it to Harley for her approval.

Harley took the gift and smiled as she examined the label. "Does it pair with MSG?"

Dr. Crane smirked. "What doesn't?"

Harley tipped the bottle towards her doctor in acknowledgement. "Fair point." She grabbed two wine glasses for the table while Dr. Crane took the bottle from Harley and entered the kitchen. He pulled out a corkscrew made of pointed wrought iron.

"That looks more like a torture device," Harley giggled. Dr. Crane only smiled and winked playfully as he poured the shiny liquid into the glasses and the pair sat down for their celebratory meal. They toasted Bender for being an excellent subject and spent the time comparing notes.

"I can't imagine what that must have been like to be caught between abject fear and total hilarity," Harley mused as she refilled her glass and the doctor's.

"I thought that was your entire life," Dr. Crane remarked with a smirk. A chopstick whizzed past his head before the doctor gave a serious response.

"I believe the subject would experience all the hallucinations of the fear toxin, but have the physical reactions of the Joker toxin. After all, we tend to giggle when nervous so it's not a completely unexpected reaction."

Harley frowned for a moment. "Not everyone is going to come out the other side of this are they?"

Dr. Crane looked nonplussed. "The toxin will affect everyone differently. Some will be hit harder than others. That said, we can't customize the dose for every Gotham citizen."

Harley stared into her glass. "No, we can't." Dr. Crane reached out and covered Harley's hand with his own.

"The dose took out Bender for thirty minutes. He was an average example of a human. The very weakest may go under for a couple hours, but I feel confident that no one will be permanently lost." Harley smiled weakly at Dr. Crane's reassurance. The doctor took another sip from his glass.

"Besides, your boss told me he would kill me if I killed anyone. Coming from him, that's an odd request."

Harley shrugged. "Mr. J doesn't want to offend the Bat's sensibilities."

Dr. Crane furrowed his brow. "What does the Batman have to do with anything?"

Harley tilted her head. "He didn't tell you?"

"I assumed this was simply for spectacle. Does he want to draw out the Batman for another infamous battle?"

Harley burst out laughing. "Oddly enough, not this time. Everything Mr. J does is to get the Bat's attention. It's the least subtle flirting I've ever seen. He wanted to knock everyone out as a sort of present so Batman can round up all the low level thugs, freeing up time for the Bat and Mr. J to play."

Dr. Crane swirled his wine in silence. "That's possibly the craziest plan I've ever heard." He finished his glass.

"So then why are you doing this Doctor?"

Dr. Crane shrugged and smirked. "For science. I've never tested a treatment on so many subjects before. It's like having years of research compressed into a day. Who would turn that down?"

"Not you obviously," Harley scoffed.

A mischievous smile played Dr. Crane's lips. "That and your boss is paying me a dizzying amount of money." Harley laughed and began to clear the table. Dr. Crane grabbed the glasses and the bottle and moved to the couch. While Harley was boxing up dinner, he was looking through the video that was shot that day. When Harley joined him, Dr. Crane closed his laptop and sighed.

"I wonder what nice, normal people are doing tonight."

Harley curled her legs beneath her. "Doing laundry and fighting with their spouses I imagine." Dr. Crane poured the last few droplets into Harley's glass while Harley feigned a pouty expression. The doctor ran his thumb over Harley's stuck out lower lip.

"Like I would only buy one bottle." He jumped up and grabbed the second bottle from his bag before going to the kitchen to open it. Harley grinned as her last sips filled her belly with a glowing, warm feeling. Dr. Crane returned and refilled both their glasses. As he took a long taste of the dark liquid, Dr. Crane leaned back into the couch and allowed his senses to fuzz over and his inhibitions to recede ever so slightly.

"Do you remember your convocation day?"

Harley turned her head at the unexpected question, but giggled at the memory.

"I remember you didn't show to the ceremony and the dean was pissed."

"I've always hated the pomp and stupid outfits they make the professors wear. Every year I tried to fake an illness."  
"You could have shown up for my sake."

"I hate stupid hats."

"Says the guy with the burlap bag on his head."

"That's a mask; not a hat."

Harley mused over the notion as she took another swig from her glass. "I had to come find you after. I wanted to kill you I was so angry."

"No, you weren't."

"Okay, I wasn't murderous, but I was upset that you weren't there."

Dr. Crane crept closer to Harley. "Didn't I make it up to you?"

Harley raised an eyebrow. "You did. I had to pay for that gown though."

Dr. Crane stared off in fond remembrance. "We spent the whole afternoon in my office."

"With the door locked," Harley giggled.

"How did they let you walk the stage wearing…so little underneath?"

"I changed after the ceremony, but before going to see you."

Dr. Crane sat upright. "Aha. So, you're weren't angry."

Harley punched his shoulder. "Shut your face."

Dr. Crane cleared his glass and scoffed as Harley quickly refilled it. He held the glass gently, warming the liquid with the heat from his hands.

"I hated that you went to Arkham."

Harley stared at him with a puzzled expression. "Which time?"

Dr. Crane continued to stare at his drink. "You were too good for that place. You had an intellect that could have taken you places…away from Gotham."

"What could have been eh?" Harley smirked as she downed the rest of her wine. Dr. Crane returned the favour by pouring out the last of the second bottle into Harley's glass.

"So…Doctor. If I was too good for Arkham, why are you there? Your intelligence is positively dizzying."

Dr. Crane shook his head. "That's not what I meant. Your goodness is deserved by no one in this hellhole of a city and was certainly not earned by anyone in that asylum. You're a light that shines even in the darkness of the Narrows. You make the Joker want to be a better man. That is a truly bizarre notion. Now, I on the other hand, am exactly what Arkham Asylum and Gotham deserve. This scheme of Joker's may be the last hope at finally purging the weakness from this city."

Harley sat cross-legged with her wine glass cupped in her hands. "Boy, you sure get dark when you're drunk."

"Sorry," Dr. Crane shook his head, "I believe we are supposed to be celebrating."

Harley put her now empty glass down and jumped up. "We are. Put on some music. I'll be right back."

"Wait what? What kind of music? Harley?" It was too late. Harley ran and grabbed her bag and launched into the bedroom. Dr. Crane folded his glasses and set them gingerly on the table. He rubbed his tired eyes before making his way to his stereo. He began thumbing through his collection of vinyl that was just as old as the books he kept. The doctor couldn't even remember where he had acquired half of his records when the sound of the bedroom door opening brought him back to the present. Dr. Crane turned around and actually felt weak in his knees.

Harley stood barefoot in a simple black dress with wide straps over her shoulders and the skirting flaring out just below her waist. It hugged her perfectly and the simplicity of it made Harley's features glow.

Harley twirled a lock of her hair round her finger, looking almost shy. "Mr. J hates this dress. He says it makes me look plain."

Dr. Crane stepped forward slowly. "Then he is blind as well as a fool."

Harley nearly jumped to her boss' defense when the soft sounds of tinny trumpets and scratchy clarinets filled the apartment.

Dr. Crane walked across the floor and offered his outstretched hand to Harley. "Would you still like to see my moves Miss Quinn?"

Harley giggled and placed her hand within his. "Very much Dr. Crane."

Dr. Crane lifted his arm and spun Harley underneath it. When she spun back to face him, Dr. Crane locked his arm around Harley's waist and guided her around their small dance floor with the gentle grace of Fred Astaire. Harley giggled as the pair twirled easily around the tiny apartment, her doctor quietly pushing and pulling Harley along, leading her without her knowledge. Harley felt lighter than air. Her feet instinctively followed Dr. Crane's calculated steps. She laughed completely when he dipped her so low her hair tickled the floor. Her laughter sent shivers down Dr. Crane's spine. To him, it was more musical than any note that would ever come out of any stereo.

The song changed and a slow flugelhorn led ballad sung out through the crackled speakers. Dr. Crane's smile dropped to his regular serious expression as he pulled Harley close to him before she could protest. With one hand caressing the small of her back and the other intertwined with her hand, Dr. Crane swayed back and forth slowly, making unhurried circles around the living room. Harley felt such peace in his arms. Even with the knowledge it was only temporary, Harley watched the world melt away and disappear into the night. The only existence for her was this dance and this song. For the first time since their association had begun, she allowed herself to get completely lost in her doctor's iced blue gaze. She marveled as the icy grey oceans surrounded the brightest blue rods in each iris, threatening to drown her. Dr. Crane fixed his gaze on Harley and turned his hand inward, bringing her hand towards his lips. He placed a long, soft kiss along her knuckles, breathing in her scent mixed with his. Harley's heart began to pound with the anticipation of what her doctor might do to her. Dr. Crane dropped her hand and drew his hand up to her face, cupping the back of her head gently, letting his fingers get tangled in her blond locks. Harley's hands held fast to Dr. Crane's shoulders as his thumb drew small circles along her temple. She unconsciously leaned into his palm, which now pressed against her cheek. His sweet breath heated Harley's face and made her heart flutter. She didn't stop him as he leaned in closer still. She gasped as she felt the tip of his tongue run along her bottom lip as he took it between his own. Her lips slowly connected with his, as her breath was lost in a dream.

 **RING RING RING**

Dr. Crane quickly broke the kiss at the recognition of his ringtone. Harley sighed in frustration as her doctor made his way to the kitchen table to check his phone.

"Shit," he whispered under his breath.

He hit the accept button. "Dr. Crane…yes…yes…they were successful…half an hour…I'm sorry? That's more than enough…I can't test that…how? No…I don't care how much money…fine…fine…yes." Dr. Crane ended the call sadly. He leaned forward, bracing his wrists on the kitchen table. Harley approached slowly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"That the boss?" Dr. Crane lifted up a hand and interlocked his fingers with Harley's.

"He wants the serum to last twelve hours."

"Can you do that?" Dr. Crane spun around.

"Of course I can do that, but I have no way of testing it to make sure it won't kill. I can't sit with an inmate in the interview room for twelve hours." Dr. Crane freed himself from Harley's grasp and marched into the bedroom. He sat down on the edge, loosened his tie and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Seriously, how have you not killed him?"

Harley smiled weakly and sat beside her doctor, her hands folded in her lap. They sat in silence, both trying to devise plans of appeasement. It was Harley that broke the quiet with her soft and unusually reserved voice.

"Test it on me." Dr. Crane lifted his head from his hands.

"What did you say?"

Harley turned completely to her doctor. "Test it on me; here."

"It could kill you."

"We're both dead if we don't produce."

Dr. Crane turned to Harley and took her hand in his, laying another soft kiss on her knuckles. "My beautiful Harley. You are truly afraid of nothing."


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi Everyone. Thank you so much for the kind words and follows and favourites. I'm so grateful that all of you have been taking time to read my ramblings. It's such a joy to write this stuff and it's a happy bonus that you guys like it.  
Anyhoo speaking of ramblings, I'll leap out and get to this chapter. It's long by my standards so brace yourselves. :)**

Dr. Crane left early for the asylum the following morning so he had time to prepare the new serum. Harley busied herself around the apartment, cleaning up from last night. When she was all done and a fresh pot of coffee had filled the kitchen with its healing fragrance, Harley sat at the table with a full cup and a blank phone. She stared at the screen, Dr. Crane's words running through her head. _It could kill you._ If today was her last day, could she live with how things were between her and…Him? Harley grabbed her phone and opened a new message.

-Hey puddin'. Just wanted to say I love you…

Harley hit delete and the text vanished. She tried again.

-Mr. J. Please forgive me and Dr. Crane if anything should happen…DELETE

Harley sighed and set her phone down again. After her coffee had gone cold, Harley sat up straight and hit the call button.

The phone rang for ages.

"This better be to tell me the toxin is ready to be disbursed."

Harley tensed. "You only told Dr. Crane to prepare a twelve hour solution last night."

"Yeah and he's had all night to get it right."

-"Remember he has a day job?"

"Pathetic reason, but I suppose it's still a reason."

Harley paused. "How are you puddin'?"

There was faint laughter on the other line. "How am I? Kitten, I don't think in all our years together you have ever asked me that."

Harley giggled at her nickname. "Well?"

"I'm peachy…how are you?" Joker felt awkward with the social niceties.

-"I'm okay. You like Dr. Crane right puddin'?"

"Oh he's a swell guy. A real stand up citizen. Why? What's he done?"

-"Nothing. I just want you to be happy with the results. That's all."

"Do I have a reason to be unhappy?" Joker growled into the phone.

-"No, of course not."

Joker sighed in frustration. "Do you have a point to make Harls?"

Harley struggled to find her words. "I…I love you Mr. J. Please don't ever forget that."

"Harley, what's going on?"

-"I know it doesn't matter to you how I feel about you and I know that relationships are not your thing, but please don't ever forget just how much you mean to me."

"Harls, what the hell are you getting at?"

-"Remember when you asked me if I would die for you and I said yes?"

"…yes," Joker hissed.

Harley sighed. "I meant it." With that, she clicked the end call button on her phone and sat back in her chair as tears began to slide down her cheeks.

Joker stared at the now silent phone in his hand. His brow furrowed. Normally he'd play it off as Harley being her old, silly, insecure self, but ever since she had returned to him, insecurity was not to be found among her features. Joker picked up his phone again and dialed a number.

"Dr. Crane."

-"Hey Doc how's it hanging?"

Dr. Crane sighed in exasperation. "Joker, I can only work so fast. What do you want?"

-"Well that's a fine how do you do. What are you and Harley up to?"

Dr. Crane felt a small second of panic, not knowing what Joker was insinuating. He took a breath and calmed his heart.

"We've been preparing the new toxin for testing. Why? Is that not what you wanted?"

"Don't get smart with me Doc," Joker growled, "Harley just called me jabbering on about her feelings and how she would die for me. Tell me doctor, is she just being hormonal or are you so insane as to put the Queen of Gotham in danger?"

Dr. Crane paused. Harley was afraid. She always seemed so sure of everything. Even last night she volunteered herself with such confidence, Dr. Crane never questioned it.

"Sounds like she just misses you Joker. This is the longest she's ever been away from you since regaining her memory."

-"You better be right Doc, because if so much as one hair is out of place on her head, I will hunt you down and rip you into such tiny pieces, my hyenas won't even have to chew your worthless flesh."

Dr. Crane hung up quietly and ran his fingers through his hair. Joker's threats meant nothing to him. He couldn't live with himself if Harley came to any harm. Dr. Crane opened his desk drawer and stared at the prepared serum that glowed prettily within. As much as it pained him to put Harley as any risk, his masked alter ego couldn't wait to finally uncover the fears of his former student.

Harley was sitting at the couch with her hands folded in her lap when her doctor strolled through the door, looking exhausted.

"Long day at the office?" Dr. Crane set his briefcase down and joined Harley on the couch.

"You could say that." He leaned back against the cushions and closed his eyes for a moment of peace. Harley tucked her legs beneath her and leaned her head against his chest. Without thinking, Dr. Crane wrapped his arm around Harley and gently rubbed her shoulder as they both savoured the silence.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Harley straightened up to meet the gaze of her doctor.

"As sure as I ever have been," she answered with a plastered smile. Dr. Crane sighed and gently rubbed his thumb along Harley's cheek. He admired her bravery and her commitment. She would truly do anything to make the Joker happy and that made his blood boil.

Dr. Crane took a deep breath and pushed himself off the couch. "We should get started so I have enough time to observe the effects." Harley nodded as Dr. Crane offered a hand to help her up.

Harley lay reclined on the bed, propped up on a mountain of pillows. The quilt had been discarded on the floor to give Harley as much exposure to the air as possible. Her hair lay loose about her shoulders and her hands sat folded against her stomach. She watched quietly as her doctor opened his briefcase and prepared the canister. Harley heard various valves go off as Dr. Crane turned on the mechanism and readied the serum for ejection. Quietly, Dr. Crane stopped and placed a hand on either side of the briefcase. He breathed deeply and stared into space.

"Dr. Crane?" Harley asked in a small voice. Both were trying to calm their own case of nerves when Dr. Crane removed his glasses and knelt beside the bed.

"Harley, there's a very real chance that your mind won't survive this process. As strong as you are, your grip on reality might be forever severed. If this is to be the last time we ever speak, there's something I must tell you. Harley, I…" Dr. Crane's words were cut off by Harley's lips crashing into his own. She held onto the back of Dr. Crane's head as they both sighed into the kiss. Dr. Crane wrapped his arms around Harley, pulling her off the pillows as his kiss deepened. The kiss was filled with love and compassion; a different experience for both of them. Harley only separated from her doctor when she could no longer breathe. They pressed their foreheads together and struggled to find air. Eventually they brought their eyes to each other and Harley gave a small smile.

"I know."

Dr. Crane smiled and settled Harley back onto the bed, smoothing away the strands of blond hair that fell in front of her face. Harley breathed deeply and tried to calm her butterflies.

She gasped slightly when Dr. Crane pulled on his burlap mask.

"Don't worry. I'll remove it as soon as the gas has dissipated." Harley nodded and gulped in anticipation.

"Try to relax. I promise I won't leave your side. I'll be right beside you the entire time," Dr. Crane assured Harley with a muffled voice, "Are you ready?"

Harley nodded and blinked back a single tear. Dr. Crane pushed the trigger to the canister and a sharp hissing sound filled the bedroom. A dusty looking powder sprayed towards Harley's face and she nearly choked trying to breathe through her nose and out her mouth. The gas stung her eyes, so Harley closed them tightly, trying to flush out the pain. Dr. Crane clicked the record button on his recorder.

"Possibly eye irritant. No need for modification." Harley opened her eyes just as Dr. Crane removed his mask. He sat down on a chair beside the bed and leaned forward, leaning his elbows on his knees. His hands braced his head as he stared into Harley's eyes as they began to twitch back and forth. He knew she could see something, but her face gave no indication as to what it may be. Suddenly, Harley's legs stiffened and her entire body became taut. Dr. Crane noted the time in his book, then continued to stare at his subject with worried eyes. Harley's head flopped to the side and although she was looking at Dr. Crane, it appeared she was looking through him, her eyes without focus. Dr. Crane knelt beside the bed once again, trying to find signs of consciousness within Harley. Her lips began to move soundlessly, forming a single word over and over again. Dr. Crane tilted his head and pressed his ear to Harley's lips, trying to make out the phrase. Very quietly he heard a whisper that chilled him.

"…Scarecrow…Scarecrow…" Dr. Crane closed his eyes, feeling complete sadness fill his heart to breaking point. He crawled onto the bed, lying parallel to Harley. Gently he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head as his normally icy eyes melted to allow a single tear to roll down his cheek.

"Harley my darling, I'm so sorry," he whispered into her hair. _My God what have I done._

 _Harley looked about her. Grey, concrete walls surrounded her. Large fluorescent lights gave an ugly and cold glow to the atmosphere. As Harley's eyes adjusted to the green tinged light, she realized she was in a prison cell. The door had been left open and so cautiously, she stepped forward into the corridor. Harley attempted to move, but the silence was thick and heavy, like moving through pudding._

 _Harley continued making her way down the empty, abandoned hallway, but with each step, the hallway seemed to get longer and longer. The other cells held nothing and Harley began to feel panic rise within her to find an escape._

"Harley. Harley, can you hear me?" Dr. Crane noted that Harley's breathing had begun to increase in speed about an hour into the serum's effect. He knew that he would not be able to record accurate results if he continued to worry. For the time being, he relented and let The Scarecrow take control of the experiment. He picked up the recorder and turned it back on.

"Subject shows pulse increase at one hour and fifteen minutes since toxin exposure."

 _Harley found the infirmary. As she pushed open the cold metal doors, she caught her reflection in the observation window. She was wearing a white tank top, but underneath the cloth, Harley was stunned to find herself covered in single line tattoos. Her fingers danced over the ink in disbelief. There was even one on her face, but she couldn't make it out. As she came closer to the window, Harley noticed she was wearing a choker. The choker was more of a dog collar and held gold lettering across it…'Puddin'. Harley tore it off in anger. (I am not Her!) Suddenly her whole body collapsed and vibrated as Harley felt electricity surge through her, commanding her motions and brain waves._

CLICK "Two hours and twenty minutes, subject experiences first seizure." CLICK

 _When Harley regained her composure and stood up, she continued to marvel at her reflection. Her focus was cut off by a blood curdling scream. Harley whipped around to listen for the sound again. Far in the distance she heard laughter that was all too familiar to her, but it was cut off by screaming…screaming that she had never heard before and that made her blood run cold. Harley took off down the wall, desperate to find the source. She ran as fast as she could move, but at every turn, she found herself facing the same hallway. Her legs felt heavy, but she kept running as the laughter became less and the screaming became more. Harley cried out in frustration as she turned the last corner to find herself exactly where she began._

CLICK "Five hours, subject has regained some semblance of vocal control." CLICK

 _The screaming stopped. Harley paused and listened for any breath of life. She caught something in the corner of her eye. Harley turned slowly to find a giant black figure blocking the entrance to one of the solitary cells. Harley gasped as she saw glowing red eyes staring at her from behind the black, pointy eared cowl._

 _"What do you want?" The figure smirked and uttered a laugh that Harley felt more than heard. Her body went completely stiff as the cowled figure passed straight through her like a ghost._

CLICK "All muscles in subject have tensed up at the seven hour mark." CLICK

 _Harley shook herself of the numbing feeling leaking through her fingers and fell to her knees at the sight that befell her. The door to the cell had been left open and the walls were covered in blood spatter. Harley slowly stepped forward to find Dr. Crane, Amanda, Eddie, and Johnny standing around a mangled pile of flesh on the floor. They stood in silence, but kept their eyes on Harley. Bracing herself for the worst, Harley entered the cell and cried out when she saw the victim. There lay her Joker. His normally purple suit was unrecognizable, shredded and bloody. His body was grey from blood loss and his flesh was perforated with about forty Batarangs. He looked like the victim of a firing squad. Harley screamed as more electricity shot through her, paralyzing her next to her clown prince._

CLICK "Subject has had second seizure at eight hours and seven minutes. Pulse is weakening." CLICK

 _Harley threw herself onto Joker's body. She looked up to her friends for comfort, but they all returned her gaze with cold, nonplussed expressions. Harley turned back to Joker and choked back tears as she attempted to smooth out his hair. A shallow breath escaped his lips._

 _"He's alive," Harley exclaimed. She turned to Eddie. "Eddie, give me your coat. We need to stop the bleeding." Eddie remained motionless, but spread his lips into a dopey grin. Harley yelled in frustration. "Eddie, give me your God damned coat!" Eddie kept smiling, but his image began to fade._

 _"Eddie…EDDIE!" Harley screamed just before she was hit with another painful round of electricity. Eddie faded into nothingness as Harley was left a crumpled mess on the floor._

CLICK "Nine hours and twenty minutes, subject has third seizure." CLICK

 _Harley scrambled to find something with which to stop Joker's bleeding. She begged Amanda and Johnny to help her, but neither responded. Harley was struggling to breath between massive sobs when another wave of pain spread across her limbs and she was thrown back to the floor. Amanda and Johnny smiled sweetly as both began to grow dim in Harley's eyes. She screamed as they were removed from her vision. Harley returned her attention to Joker who was achingly breathing his last. A grey hand reached up to caress Harley's cheek. She leaned in close so their noses were almost touching. A gentle grin, one that looked completely foreign to Harley spread across Joker's face. "Bye pumpkin," Joker mouthed before his eyes closed and his energy departed. Harley's tears fell onto her clown prince. Her heart turned black and sat in her ribcage like a lead weight. Her voice was raw and her throat was torn to ribbons._

 _"Harley…" Harley turned to find the voice._

 _"Harley…it's time to go." Harley looked up to find her doctor still standing over her. She refused to leave her Joker, but when she turned back to the body, nothing remained but the splatters of blood. She gasped, having no more within her to scream. A gentle hand took her by the shoulder._

 _"Harley…we have to go." Harley's eyes burned, wanting to shed more tears that didn't exist. Her body was utterly spent and she collapsed onto the floor, her breathing shallow and her pulse weakening._

Harley's eyes fluttered open as Dr. Crane pushed The Scarecrow back into his subconscious. He threw himself to the floor, kneeling beside the bed as he watched Harley return to reality. The dreamy fog in her eyes cleared to reveal a dark blue.

"Harley?" Dr. Crane's voice trembled as he whispered her name. Harley took a deep breath as if waking from a nightmare. She looked around panicked until her eyes landed on her doctor. "Jonathon?" Dr. Crane smirked realizing that in all their years of association, he had never heard his first name escape Harley's lips. His smirk soon became a full smile as Harley stretched her limbs and cracked her wrists and ankles. Harley tried to sit up, but faintness overtook her so she settled back down onto her pillow mountain.

"How'd we do?" Dr. Crane checked his timer.

"Eleven hours, but fuck it. We'll say twelve." Harley giggled weakly at her doctor's rare use of colourful language. Dr. Crane leaned forward and felt Harley's forehead. She felt warm, but luckily not feverish.

"Wait here." Harley stayed put while Dr. Crane disappeared. He soon returned with a cool cloth and a bowl of ice water. He gently undid the buttons on Harley's shirt and began to pad her down with the ice soaked cloth. Harley shivered, but relished the feeling of the coldness on her skin. Once she was brought down to a temperature acceptable to Dr. Crane, the doctor placed the bowl and cloth to the bedside table and got onto the bed, lying next to Harley.

Dr. Crane sighed. "How do you feel?" Harley paused for a moment and tried to smile her visions away. Her attempt at a smile soon dissolved as her lip quivered and her light giggles turned into heavy sobs. Dr. Crane pulled Harley close to him and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her head close to his chest. Harley held tight to the collar of his shirt, praying that he wouldn't fade into nothingness like the others.

"Please don't leave me."

Dr. Crane kissed the top of Harley's head and rubbed her back gently.

"My darling, I'm not going anywhere." He continued to hold her and smooth her back until he felt Harley's limbs fall limp from exhaustion. Dr. Crane carefully tucked Harley into bed without waking her. As he stared at his brave girl, he pushed back the guilt that threatened to overwhelm his senses. He returned his glasses to his eyes and stepped out quietly to the kitchen.

Dr. Crane grabbed his phone and quickly dialed. The phone rang twice.

"It's ready." Dr. Crane quickly disconnected the call and threw his phone onto the table in disgust.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi Everyone. I'm so sorry it's been forever since I posted. Had a wicked case of writer's block, but I think we're on the right track now.  
Thank you so much for everyone's kind words and follows and favourites and everything.  
Anyhoo…here's the new chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

Pain radiated through Harley's body, forcing her awake. She felt like every muscle had been tensed for hours, then she thought about the past day and realized that was probably the case. A small cry escaped her lips as Harley tried to straighten out her limbs. The faint whimper of pain stirred the form next to her. Dr. Crane's shirtless presence entered her realm of vision. He ran his cool fingers along her cheek, gently trying to soothe her.

"Shh…you've strained all your muscles. I will run you a hot bath. Wait here." Dr. Crane shifted off the bed and made his way to the bathroom. Harley gasped slightly as Dr. Crane walked away. He wasn't wearing any clothes at all, which gave Harley a twinge of panic that she had done something regrettable.

As if through telepathy, Dr. Crane responded through the wall, "It was too hot last night to sleep with clothes." Harley slowed her breathing as she listened to the water running in the other room. When Dr. Crane reappeared, another spike of adrenaline shot through Harley as she beheld her doctor still shirtless but clad in a shockingly tight pair of jeans. She gasped trying to contain her pain as well as attempt to recall if she had ever seen her doctor in anything but a suit. Dr. Crane smirked at Harley's wide eyed expression, but offered a hand to help her up. As soon as Harley was on her feet, she shrieked as Dr. Crane scooped her up completely in his arms and bridal carried her to the bathroom. Harley couldn't help but giggle at the sight of her doctor being so spontaneous. He gently deposited her into the tub, clothes and all. Harley leaned her head back against the tub and allowed the heat from the water to undo all the knots in her muscles. She blinked her eyes open in surprise as Dr. Crane carefully undid the remaining buttons on her shirt. Harley arched her back slightly, allowing the garment to slide off her shoulders into the water. Dr. Crane quickly rolled it up and threw it into the hamper in the corner. Harley removed the remainder of her clothing and threw it across the bathroom, close to the hamper. She giggled quietly and looked up to meet her doctor's gaze. Her smiled disappeared as she gazed into the deep sadness that met her eyes.

"Why the long face Dr. Crane? I thought you would be overjoyed at the success of your formula." Dr. Crane sat on the edge of the tub and danced his fingers quietly over the water.

"I am pleased with the formula. I'm just allowing myself a moment of grotesque self pity." Harley turned her head to the side like a puppy.

"How so?" Dr. Crane slid his fingers from the water up Harley's arm to her shoulder where he drew lazy circles, much like he had done in the Iceberg Lounge. Harley closed her eyes at his touch.

"The formula is complete and so you must leave me to go back to Him." Harley nodded, but shared in the mutual sadness of their current association coming to an end.

"I'm sure we will see each other again Dr. Crane. One of us is bound to end up in your care at some point," Harley replied with a false laugh. Dr. Crane smiled in acknowledgement of the attempted humour. Each remained silent, lost within their own thoughts.

"Does he make you happy Harley?" Harley's eyes snapped open at the sudden question. She regained her composure and slid further down into the tub, resting her head on the edge.

"He makes me happy like heroin makes an addict happy." Dr. Crane smirked.

"It's a yes or no question." Harley smiled.

"When it comes to the Joker, there are no yes or no questions." Dr. Crane nodded and leaned back on the tiled wall with one leg stretched across the length of the tub while the other sat bent on the floor, supporting his weight. Harley closed her eyes once again, but felt Dr. Crane dip his hand below the water's surface. He gently pulled one of her hands out of the water and intertwined his fingers with hers. They remained silent with clasped hands and closed eyes, taking pleasure in the company of each other. Dr. Crane shifted his weight and knelt beside the tub, still holding Harley's hand. She looked over at him with warm eyes as he lifted her fingers to his lips and placed soft kisses along her knuckles. Harley suddenly felt the water cool against her heated flesh. Dr. Crane stared at Harley for ages, trying to imprint her entire image onto his mind. Sighing heavily, he gently lowered her hand back into the water and stood up.

"Frost will be here soon to collect you and the toxin. I'll have fresh coffee made when you come out." Harley nodded and smiled sweetly as Dr. Crane left the bathroom. As Harley turned back to her bath, she took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that threatened to stain her face.

Harley wrapped herself in a towel and made her way into the bedroom to pack her things and dress for her departure. She dressed in a black t-shirt and shorts, not feeling any motivation to dress up. Harley watched Dr. Crane for a moment before entering the kitchen. He had his ear buds in, listening to his tapings from the previous night, writing down his own dictation onto the computer. He only stopped when he saw Harley enter the kitchen and go for the mugs. With a mug full of soothing coffee, Harley sat down at the table opposite her doctor and they spent an eternity staring at each other in silence. Harley broke the trance, suddenly feeling stifled in the quiet.

"So Doctor. Will you join us for the deployment of your toxin on the city?"

Dr. Crane smiled and shook his head. "I think someone needs to stay back at Arkham to prepare the welcoming committee for when you both get caught."

Harley laughed as her face spread into a wide grin. "Oh ye of little faith Doctor. I can't speak for the boss, but I have no intention of making any social calls to your place of business."

"Shame." Dr. Crane shrugged and took a sip from his own mug. His devilish grin made Harley feel hotter than her coffee. Just then, Harley's phone began to buzz. She grabbed it and saw it was Johnny. Harley clicked the accept button.

"Hey John. You here?...okay I'll be down in a minute." Harley sent her screen back to black and gave a sad smile to Dr. Crane. Quietly, Harley stood up and went to get her things while Dr. Crane prepared the toxin filled suitcase.

They met at the door. Before Dr. Crane could hand over the case to Harley, she dropped her bag and flung her arms around her doctor, holding him tightly.

Her lips lovingly danced across his ear. "You will always be my first love," she whispered. Dr. Crane didn't respond, but gripped Harley for all he was worth. He buried his face into her hair, absorbing her essence while he still could. Slowly, the two separated. Dr. Crane held onto Harley's hand a moment longer and pressed her knuckles to his lips, never breaking her gaze.

"Until we meet again Harley Quinn." Harley smiled.

"See you later Dr. Crane." With that, Dr. Crane closed the door to his apartment and Harley slowly made her way down the stairs to Frost's waiting Bentley.

To Harley, it felt like no time at all before they were back home. Frost pulled up front to let Harley get out before he parked the car.

"How's our boss today John?" Harley asked staring forlornly at the house.

"He's been suspiciously quiet the past couple days. He's been shut up in his office mostly, working on the deployment system for the gas I assume." As Harley reached back to grab her bags, Frost stretched out his arm to stop her.

"I got these Miss Quinn." Harley smiled and grabbed the briefcase.

"I think I ought to at least bring this one to the boss." Frost nodded and pulled away once Harley was out of the vehicle. Smoothing her clothes out and fussing with her hair, Harley entered the house and was nearly bowled over by her hyenas.

"Hi my babies," Harley greeted them with almost equal enthusiasm. Harley squat down to avoid the claws ripping her apart as the hyenas tried to jump up and reach her face. It was all she could do to make her way to the kitchen. Harley felt a pang of anger when she saw the two, empty bowls by the back door. _Of course, no one's fed them._ When the bowls were full and there were two content hyenas chomping down their breakfast, Harley took a deep breath and made her way to Joker's office with the case gripped tightly in her hands.

Harley gently knocked on the door with her knuckles. A muffled grunt was all the permission Harley got to enter. She quietly opened the door, making sure it didn't make too much noise as it closed.

Joker was busy at his desk with the familiar blue prints, studying them like lost pieces of art.

"We've got the toxin puddin," Harley murmured, holding up the case for inspection. Joker slowly placed his pencil down and motioned for Harley to approach with the case. She gently set the case on the desk and allowed Joker to open it up for observation. Harley leaned against the wall as Joker flipped open the lid and removed one of the green vials. As he held it up to the light, a green glow shone over Joker's face as he turned it slowly between his fingers.

"Beautiful," was all he said. Harley twirled a piece of hair around her finger, feeling a wave of nervous relief flood over her.

"I'm glad you like them boss," she smiled. Joker slowly tucked the tube back into its foam container. He quietly walked over to where Harley was leaning and trapped her between his long arms.

"I wasn't talking about the toxin." Before Harley could reply, Joker's lips desperately crashed into hers. Harley gasped as Joker's long fingers danced their way down her ribs and gripped her waist, pulling her even closer to him.

"You okay…Mr. J?" Harley breathed as Joker began biting at her neck hungrily. A low growling chuckle was the only response Harley got and it sent electric shocks through her fingers. _There's the heroin._ Harley's knees buckled, betraying her arousal. Joker grinned into Harley's hair and picked her up, spinning her around and laying her across his desk. Harley's hair spread around her head like a halo on the dark contrast of the blueprint. Joker raised himself up on his elbows and paused to catch his breath, staring at his queen. Harley blinked curiously at him.

"Something wrong?" Joker grabbed her face once again and devoured her lips between his. Harley sighed into the kiss, allowing Joker to explore her mouth fully. He pulled away sharply and growled in pleasure.

"Kitten, never listen to me again okay?" Harley squeaked as Joker tore the t-shirt from her body. Joker descended and pressed his lips along Harley's collarbone.

"I don't understand puddin'. I always listen to you." Joker lifted his gaze and grinned.

"Well don't, not ever again. If I ever tell you to go…" Joker bit Harley's neck.

"Stay." Joker's kisses travelled down Harley's neck and along her chest, just above her bra.

"You're beautiful." Joker threaded his fingers underneath Harley's bra straps and slid them down to her elbows.

"You're timeless." Harley's breath hitched in her throat as Joker reached around, unhooked the tedious garment and threw it to the floor.

"You're stunning." Joker took a pink nipple in his mouth and massaged it with his tongue, nipping it to make Harley yip. His hand rubbed the other breast roughly.

"You're perfect." Harley arched her back as Joker flicked his tongue across her hot skin. A deep growl escaped Joker as Harley dragged her nails down his chest, leaving reddened tracks in her path. Joker let out a dark laugh as he undid the buttons on Harley's shorts and slid everything down, off her ankles. Harley grinned as the air touched her freed skin.

"But most of all Harls…" Joker placed a long, slow kiss under Harley's belly button. Harley locked her gaze onto the eyes of her clown prince.

"You're mine," he whispered low. Harley cried out as Joker set his lips to her slick core, sucking hard on her bundle of nerves. Joker's tongue happily lapped through Harley's centre, taking great delight at every twitch and contraction. Harley bucked her hips as she held fast to the green locks below her.

Harley did her best to catch her breath. "Puddin, you want to keep me?"

Joker raised his head, meeting her gaze. "Forever kitten." Harley pulled Joker back up to her face and kissed him hard, taking delight at her own flavor.

"Then show me how much you need me." Joker's grin spread ear to ear as he quickly freed himself from his confines and before Harley could brace herself, Joker thrust himself into her centre. Harley could already feel herself contracting around Joker's length. She lifted her legs and folded them close to her body, allowing Joker to get as deep as possible. Joker moved back and forth painfully slowly. As he began to increase his speed, Joker massaged Harley's centre with a single, skilled thumb. Harley gripped either side of the desk with white knuckles, crying out at the almost painful pleasure. Suddenly Joker lost all control. His thrusts blinded Harley with their speed and intensity. She cried out, screaming Joker's name which only made him go faster. Harley felt her body reach her peak and with little warning, Harley's body was filled with electricity, heat traveling through every limb. She felt Joker shudder against her as he too reached his climax. Both lay panting on the desk for what felt like a glorious eternity. Joker rested his head on Harley's stomach as she gently brushed the hair that had become stuck to his forehead.

Eventually Joker situated himself and returned to his chair. Harley redressed as best she could _he just had to rip my shirt_ and sat down in Joker's lap, looking over his plans. Joker wrapped a protective arm around Harley as she laced her fingers around his neck, leaning against him, drinking in the scent of asphalt and aftershave. Harley smiled gently and placed her hand around Joker's cheek, placing a soft kiss on the other.

"So boss, when do we start?"

Joker turned to Harley with an impish grin and cupped the back of her head with his long fingers.

"Tonight," he breathed and kissed Harley with a tenderness she had not felt since…

Harley pushed the thoughts from her mind as she returned Joker's kiss, letting him know she would never leave again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi Everyone.**

 **I'm so sorry this took so long to update. Just a lot going on, but hopefully I'm back on track.  
Hope you enjoy this chapter. Once again thank you so much for all the lovely favourites and follows and kind words.**

Harley walked around the garage with her clipboard and pen, checking her list. Joker had always found Harley's organization the height of amusement. She opened up each henchman's bag and ticked off the equipment, before zipping them closed again. The sounds of sharpening blades and bullet cassettes clicking into place filled the garage with metallic sounds. Harley carefully stepped over panda suits and clown masks as she made her way over to their valiant leader.

Joker was leaned up against his car, casually dropping bullets into his revolver, smiling to himself as if caught in a daydream. Harley nervously tapped her own weaponry; forever afraid she would leave her revolvers behind. The weight of her shoulder holster was a constant reminder of her planning. Harley's leather boots barely made a sound as she approached Joker and leaned up beside him against the car.

"Everything's in place and ready to go boss."

Joker smiled and spun the cylinder into place. He shoved the gun into his own shoulder holster, then pushed himself off the car to grip Harley by her hips.

"Are you ready to go kitten?"

Harley's mouth stretched into a sly grin. "Always." Joker growled low and brought her close, pressing his lips excitedly to hers. Harley wrapped her arms around Joker's neck, clipboard and all. Their embrace was only broken by Frost's ever insistent cough.

"Boss, we've got twenty minutes to deployment." Joker rolled his eyes, but stepped back from his queen.

"All right boys. Let's head out. We've got a date with the Batman." The men all donned their disguises and filed into the van like clowns to a clown car.

Harley joined Joker in his car as they sped out of the garage into the night. She picked at her cuticles nervously, trying to keep her breathing steady.

"What's going on kitten? I can't believe you forgot to pack something," Joker cackled lowly. Harley forced a weak smile across her face.

"Oh no puddin'. I've got everything I need. I just have a …weird feeling about tonight."

Joker shifted gears aggressively, but his eyes almost showed concern towards his queen.

"We're as prepared for this party as we are for any other."

Harley nodded. "I know. I can't explain the feeling. It's nothing." Harley smiled again. "Don't worry Mr. J. I'm just being silly."

Joker's laugh pushed his head back into the seat. "No change there then." They sped through the night in silence. Harley stared out her window, suddenly wishing that she was just a normal girl, living in one of the passing apartments. Her life of extreme activity had never bothered Harley before, but now she found herself intensely jealous of the few, regular girls in Gotham, sitting at home, watching movies with their boyfriends…the boyfriends that had nice, legal jobs. Harley sighed and leaned her head against the door.

A gentle rain began to hit their windshield just as Joker pulled up in front of an abandoned warehouse. _Are there any occupied warehouses in Gotham anymore?_ Harley stepped out of the car and straightened her tank top before reaching into the back for her bat. As she gripped her hand around her wooden weapon, a firm slap connected across her rear end. Harley stood up out of the car and raised her eyebrow at the Joker with the wolfish grin.

"Must you always?" Harley asked playfully. Joker shrugged his innocence.

"Hey I challenge anyone to walk past that ass without giving it a smack."

Harley shut her door and leaned against the car with a grin. "It'd be the last thing _they_ ever tried."

Joker's grin increased as his hands snaked around Harley's waist. "Damn right."

Harley lifted her head to meet Joker's gaze, her expression serious. "Kiss me."

"No problem," Joker chuckled as he drew closer. Harley put a hand against his chest to stop him.

"No…kiss me like you will never see me again. Kiss me so that no matter what happens tonight, I will never forget you."

Joker's brow furrowed in confusion. He had never seen his Harley look so vulnerable. He carefully brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. Joker gently gripped Harley's chin between his fingers and lifted her face to his. Harley closed her eyes in anticipation. Joker giggled low as he could feel Harley's breath hitch beneath his lips that were now pressed hotly just above the swell of her breast. Harley rolled her head back against the car as Joker pressed long and lazy kisses up Harley's neck and behind her ear.

As he dragged his teeth across the ridge of her ear, Harley gasped as Joker's breath filled her senses and heated her gut.

"Remember that?" he whispered. Harley could only nod and gulp back a moan. Joker held her head up with his hand and pressed his forehead to hers. They remained like that for one final moment of peace before Joker turned his sharp eyes to the warehouse as his boys were unloading the last of the equipment inside.

"Come on baby. Time to get to work."

Harley smiled, gripped her bat tightly and followed her love into battle.

Harley was surprised to enter the warehouse and find it just as empty ever.

"Hey Puddin' where's all our stuff?" Joker motioned to the rusted ladder in the corner.

"I thought it might be more romantic to take the city by moonlight."

Harley smiled and rolled her eyes. She held her bat tightly as she used her other hand to guide herself up the shaking ladder. Joker followed and growled happily as he ran a hand up her leg, making her shudder and almost lose her balance. Harley was almost regretting wearing her battle worn hot pants.

"Seriously boss, how'd the boys get everything on the roof?"

"Oh there's a freight elevator on the far side of the building. I just much prefer the view from the ladder." Harley giggled and playfully kicked at Joker's offending hand.

When they reached the roof, Harley swung her bat across her shoulders and wondered around watching Joker's men set up endless cables and electronics. It was all rather futuristic for the crime king of Gotham. She was more used to watching him with exploding jack in the boxes and smiling fish. Harley smiled to herself as she watched men dressed as pandas click cables into plungers. _That looks more like it._ Swinging her bat lazily, Harley came up behind Joker who was busy staring at a map of the city and consulting with Johnny. Joker smiled as he felt Harley's delicate hands wrap themselves around his waist. He snaked his own arm backwards and brought her in front of him without breaking stride in conversation. Harley leaned forward on the table that held the map, knowingly pushing her butt into Joker's core. His cackle had a growling tone to it that made Harley smile. She loved how their adventures with the Bat got him going.

Harley stood up and leaned her head back against Joker's shoulder. "Where are we starting boss?" Joker grinned as he began to knead the skin surrounding Harley's hips.

"Well kitten, we're going to set off the tanks on the outskirts and slowly work our way into the centre of the city," Joker drawled as his fingers began to work towards Harley's centre. Harley giggled with excitement, all previous apprehension dissolving into hot anticipation.

A man dressed unconvincingly as a clown approached the couple. "We're ready when you are boss." Joker's hands left Harley as he flew to the first plunger.

"Oh pumpkin," Joker called out, "Would you like to do the honours?" Joker gestured to the first plunger as Harley skipped towards it, her hair swinging behind her despite it being increasingly soaked in the rain. With a quick peck on the cheek, Harley gripped the T in her hand and gently depressed it, releasing a click from the box. Johnny and a few others pressed their plungers, but nothing happened. Harley seemed to be the only one concerned.

"Did it work Mr. J? I don't hear anything." Joker laughed.

"They're not explosions kitten. We're paralyzing the city remember? Soon all you'll hear is silence." Harley stood back and watched as Joker and Johnny watched timers and marked off spots on the map. At predetermined times, Johnny would yell and the pandas would push further plungers. Harley desperately listened for any indication of success, but the increasing rain made it difficult to hear any change.

When only three plungers were left sitting upright, Harley swung her bat back over her shoulders. She was starting to feel nervous again.

"I don't like this boss. How can we be sure this is working?"

Joker lifted his eyes from the map and grinned from ear to ear. "We'll know in a moment." Harley turned her head like a curious puppy as a faint roar caught her attention. Through the darkness, Harley heard a single vehicle approaching their position. A smile began to spread across her lips as she watched Joker grow ever more excited.

"Get going boys. This just became a party for two." The pandas and clowns were all too happy to descend back into the warehouse. Johnny remained in the corner, not wanting to abandon his boss, but knowing better than to get directly involved.

Joker undid the buttons on his overcoat and stretched his fingers, looking like a cowboy ready for a showdown. "There he is."

Within seconds, a huge black figure came flying over the edge of the building, the familiar icy sound of the Bat claw announcing his arrival. Harley was always painted impressed by the sheer size of the Bat. She couldn't hide her smile at the fear he inspired.

Joker approached Batman, offering his arms wide. "Darling. I'm so glad you could make it." The Bat didn't hesitate. He lunged forward and gripped Joker by the lapels, raising his feet off the ground.

"What did you do Joker?!" Harley jumped at the sound of Bat's yelling filling the sky.

Joker grinned. "A gift my love. Consider it an early anniversary present. You know how I hate waiting for occasions and I simply couldn't keep this one under my hat."

Batman threw Joker harshly to the ground and began to pace frantically.

"A gift."

Joker laughed and cracked his neck as he got back to his feet.

"Yes, a gift. You've been having such a time trying to round up all the baddies in this city, I thought that maybe if they couldn't run away from you, you might have a better time of it." Harley watched the muscles shift in Batman's suit as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

"You paralyzed thousands of innocent people just so I could catch a few more criminals? Are you insane?"

Joker casually brushed off the dirt from his coat. "You must be if you felt the need to ask that question." Joker tucked his arms behind his back as he strode placidly towards the Bat. "Now I don't want to be the one to tell you how to do your job, but the effect of the toxin is sadly temporary, so you may want to get your pointy ears in gear and get out there and catch some bad guys." Joker punched the air like a coach that just fired up his little league team with an impassioned speech about fair play and having fun.

Batman pulled back and struck Joker hard in the jaw with an armoured fist. The clown prince laughed heartily as blood began to trickle out his mouth. Harley gripped her bat and was about to run at the dark knight when the sounds of police sirens stopped her. Nine police cars pulled up in front of the warehouse as officers flooded into the building. Harley continued to watch over the side as one by one, Joker's men were brought out bloodied and cuffed. Johnny turned to his boss.

"They've got our boys boss."

Joker turned to Batman, looking unimpressed. "I said catch the criminals, not the idiots." The Bat remained silent as he moved swiftly towards Joker. Harley grabbed her revolver and shot at the giant shadow. The bullet had no impact and only seemed to irritate the dark knight even further. Before laying a second punch to the Joker, Batman threw a batarang at Harley, which sunk itself into her shoulder, forcing her to drop her gun and cry out in pain.

The smile that once decorated Joker's face was now replaced by a menacing grimace. With a growl, he kicked Batman as hard as he could and stood back up, ready for battle. Johnny ran towards Harley to tend to her latest injury.

Joker backed up and fired his gun at the Bat, his bullet also ricocheting off the suit.

"Armour plating in this season? That's hardly fair my love." The Bat growled at the term of endearment and cracked another punch across Joker's face. Harley watched in horror as Batman laid into the Joker, landing punch after punch into Joker's face and gut. Joker grinned helplessly as his eyes began to swell shut. His hand reached into his coat pocket and brought out an ice pick; the same ice pick Harley suspected, she has used on him all those years ago. Harley let out a cry of victory as she watched Joker bury the pick into Batman's side. He stumbled back and doubled over in pain.

"John, go get the boss. I'm fine here." Johnny searched her eyes in doubt. Harley stood firm. "GO!" Johnny jumped up and ran over to gather up his beaten boss. Just as he reached the battered body of the clown, Johnny's eyes grew wide as he felt something sharp dig into his flesh. He looked down to find he too had been hit with a batarang. His anger engulfed him as he lunged after the Bat who dared try to destroy his family. The pain blurred his vision as Batman landed two square punches to Johnny's jaw. He stumbled backwards and caught his foot in a twisted cable. Johnny lost his balanced completely and tumbled over the edge of the precipice. Harley's scream caught in her throat as she watched Johnny disappear over the roof. A sickening thud mixed with the crunch of bones and tissue emblazoned itself on Harley's memory. In her cries of anguish, all pain retreated as Harley unloaded both her revolvers on Batman's form, to little effect. For a moment, Harley thought she detected a look of regret in the masked eyes, but that only added fuel to her ire. Batman returned his attention to the Joker, wrenching his form harshly off the ground. He was barely conscious, but still uttering giggles between bloodied coughs. Several officers burst through the roof top door and aimed their guns squarely at Harley. Hot tears threatened to roll down her cheeks, but her anger kept them from falling, opting to burn her eyes instead.

"GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!" Harley slowly raised her hands as far as she could and lowered her body to her knees. Suddenly, the roof hatch from the ladder burst open and Harley was pushed to the ground, crying out as the batarang drove itself further into her shoulder. A strange, yet oddly familiar hissing sound permeated the chaos, which was in turn met with the unheard of screams of terror from the fully grown men that were shouting at her only moments before. In a haze, Harley lifted her head to see a man wearing a burlap sack on his head, spraying mist into the faces of anyone who dared to move. The police screamed in horror and cried out for their mothers. Batman held fast to Joker's waist as he prepared to leap down to his vehicle. Harley stumbled forward and attempted to give chase when a strong arm wrapped itself around her and held fast. Harley screamed and swung violently in all directions, but to no avail.

"Harley come on. We don't have time for this," hissed the masked man. Harley elbowed her rescuer in the gut and ran to the edge of the roof just as the Bat glided down with the Joker in his arms. Harley screamed and bashed her fists on the roof until her knuckles bled. Batman paid no attention to the screaming clown above him as he unceremoniously tossed Joker into his car and sped away in the direction of Arkham. Harley's breath became shallow as she sank to her knees and watched the blood run from her hands.

"Harley we have to go. More cops are on their way."

Harley flapped a hand behind herself dismissively. "Who cares?"

The man squatted beside Harley and gently turned her face to meet his own. Harley stared weakly into the piercing blue eyes that met her own. His voice was a harsh and desperate whisper. "I care."

Harley suddenly came to and stood up, wincing at the batarang reminding her where she was. Harley grabbed the Scarecrow's hand as he led her to rooftop door. The terrified police parted like the Red Sea for the odd couple. The Scarecrow rushed Harley down the stairs, only pausing when he felt Harley slipping from his grasp. They raced across the warehouse floor and out the fire exit where the Scarecrow's car was waiting. After making sure Harley was safely in and somewhat comfortable, the Scarecrow jumped into the driver's seat and sped off just as the new round of cop cars began their approach.

Harley slowly turned to face the driver and allowed the seat to hold the weight of her head. The Scarecrow removed his mask and threw it behind him, allowing Dr. Crane to reappear before Harley. Dr. Crane's eyes softened as he looked at the shivering form in the passenger seat.

"It's all right Harley. You're safe now."

Harley trembled as every conceivable emotion flooded her body. Dr. Crane drove in silence as Harley's sobs consumed her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi Everyone. I'm so sorry my updates have been so few and far between. I'm a bit stuck on this story, but I'll move it along as I can.  
This is sort of a transition chapter, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.**

Harley sat motionless at the kitchen table as Dr. Crane opened various cupboards and drawers, prepping supplies. The pain in her shoulder was providing a welcome, achy distraction from her current predicament.

Dr. Crane quietly pulled up a chair to sit in front of Harley as he opened a black leather bag. Carefully taking out a small, glass bottle, Dr. Crane held it to the light as he punctured the top with a needle, drawing the serum into the body of the needle.

Harley placed a hand on his elbow. "No drugs."

Dr. Crane looked puzzled. "It's only a mild pain killer to numb the area before I stitch you back together."

Harley shook her head. Dr. Crane shrugged and returned the black kit to the cupboard. When he returned, he put a bottle of whisky in front of Harley and pulled off the top. "Just in case."

Harley nodded and took a swig. She gasped and moaned _not in a fun way_ as Dr. Crane gently eased the batarang out of her shoulder. The pain seared through every electric impulse in her body. The pain was so blinding, Harley barely acknowledged the needle and thread working their way back and forth in her shoulder. When her vision cleared, Harley looked at her wound to see Dr. Crane had already snipped the thread, leaving a tidy row of stitches in its wake. Harley tipped back the whisky bottle, taking another life saving gulp.

"Got any cigarettes?" Dr. Crane shook his head as he washed the blood from his hands.

"No, those things will kill you."

Harley giggled bitterly. She watched Dr. Crane as he moved into the bathroom and soon Harley could hear the sound of running water filling the bathtub. Her heart ached to the point of immobilizing her, but she also couldn't resist the temptation of the hot water washing the night from her skin.

"I've left a towel and something for you to sleep in." Dr. Crane gently grabbed Harley's elbow and helped her into the bathroom. The steam instantly calmed her senses, but her heart tightened at the sudden ringing of her doctor's phone.

Dr. Crane sighed in annoyance as he answered it.

"Dr. Crane…yes…yes…was he conscious? …no leave him in the infirmary. Can no one else do the intake? …Well last time I checked I ran the asy-…I see…I'll be there as soon as I can." Dr. Crane growled as he ended the phone call. Harley poked her head round the corner, wrapping the towel tightly around her form.

"Is Mr. J in Arkham?"

Dr. Crane leaned back against the kitchen table.

"He was brought in twenty minutes ago. He stayed conscious just long enough to ask for me to do the intake personally and I have been advised that it is in my best interest to comply with his request."

Harley nodded. "It probably is."

Dr. Crane disappeared into his bedroom and emerged several minutes later, wearing a fresh suit and carrying his nontoxic briefcase.

Harley returned the bathroom and sighed as the hot water washed up her legs. She lowered herself into the healing tub, but turned towards the door when she heard Dr. Crane grabbing his keys.

"Don't wait up," he called behind him as the door shut. Harley closed her eyes and sank beneath the water, hoping that tonight was only a nightmare.

* * *

Dr. Crane made his way into the dark infirmary, where the graveyard medical team were working vigilantly on a bloodied mass on the table, the doctor assumed to be the Joker.

"Sir, we need to put him under, but he's refusing any treatment until he sees you." The nurse was wringing his hands, but calmed instantly as Dr. Crane gently held his shoulder.

"Give us a minute alone please," Dr. Crane called out to the room. As soon as the last orderly left, Dr. Crane pulled up a chair and set his briefcase beside his leg. Joker slowly turned his head and a smile crept across his battered face. Dr. Crane remained emotionless as blood leaked out the corners of Joker's mouth.

"Hiya Doc. How's …things?"

Dr. Crane sighed. "What do you want?"

Joker's breathing was strangled and sporadic. "Get word to Frost that I'm alive."

"He's dead."

"Who?"

"Frost."

Joker turned his head back up to the ceiling. Through the swelling and the bruising, Dr. Crane could have sworn he saw something that looked like sadness welling in the Joker's eyes.

"Harley?"

"Safe."

"Where?"

"With me."

Joker tried to laugh, but all the came out was a dark gurgle.

"Doc, why can't I see?"

Dr. Crane removed a small flashlight from the inside of his jacket. Leaning over the Joker, he shone it into his eyes, but there was no reaction. He leaned back into his chair.

"Your skull has fractured. You are bleeding internally and the blood volume is likely pressing on your optic nerve. Now, if you have nothing further to add, I need to the get the staff back in here to prevent you from dying." Dr. Crane stood and made his way to the theatre doors.

Joker laughed and coughed, spilling more blood onto the floor.

"You really love me so much Doc?"

Dr. Crane paused and turned back to his patient.

"No, but I love her."

Joker's smile faded as he drifted into unconsciousness. Dr. Crane exited the theatre to a crowd of medical staff awaiting instruction.

"He's all yours." The team ran in and chaos encircled the clown prince as Dr. Crane silently proceeded down the hall and into the night.

* * *

Harley was wrapping fresh gauze around her wounds when she heard the jingle of keys in the door. Dr. Crane dropped his keys in the bowl and ignored Harley completely as he tiredly made his way into the bedroom. Harley stood from the kitchen table and wandered into the bedroom to find the doctor sitting on the edge of the bed, loosening his tie. He slowly folded up his glasses and raked a hand down his face. Harley quietly sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. Without hesitation, Dr. Crane reached out his arm and circled Harley's shoulders. They sat together in silence, neither one having any words appropriate for their predicament.

When Dr. Crane finally spoke, his voice was low and thick with exhaustion.

"How's your shoulder?"

Harley remained silent, but pressed her palm to Dr. Crane's cheek, guiding it to her lips as she placed a soft kiss on her doctor's temple.

"You need sleep," she whispered gently. Dr. Crane nodded and removed his tie, letting it fall to the floor. Harley snuggled herself under the duvet and watched her doctor undo the buttons on his shirt and discard it on the floor with the tie. Still wearing his pants, Dr. Crane swung his legs under the covers and held his arms out for Harley to close the gap.

Harley wanted to think of the Joker. She wanted to be angry at the Batman. She wanted to begin scheming her revenge and plot how she was going to break her clown prince out of Arkham. Harley wanted all these things, but her mind was tired beyond reason and the only thing the filled her senses were the scent of her doctor and the heat that filled her being safe in his arms.

* * *

THREE MONTHS LATER

* * *

Francis Castelli sat in his private back room of his club, sipping expensive brandy. Life could not have been better for the once mid card gangster. His enterprise had expanded three fold since the Joker had been taken to Arkham. With the clown prince out of the way, Castelli's boys had been picking off the smaller racketeering contracts in Gotham, quickly making him a formidable force in the underworld. Where once, businesses and organizations would pay protection money to the Joker, they now threw their coin to Francis and his boys to save them from the every increasing number of gangs and villains. Francis leaned back in his booth and closed his eyes, listening to the gentle violin music he had playing on an old gramophone.

Suddenly, Francis' peace was broken by blood curdling screams coming from the front of the club. He sat up straight and reached into his jacket, flipping the safety off his pistol. Before he could react, a man dressed like a panda bashed him on the side of the head with the butt of a rifle. Francis fell over in his booth and spat a tooth into his hand. The entire club fell silent; the only sound was the clicking of heavy heels.

"Hey Frankie. How's business?" Francis sat up slowly. His eyes widened at the heavily made up, pig-tailed clown standing before him.

"…Harley Quinn?"

"Oh good, you remember," Harley said casually as she sat in the booth across from the bruised man. She reached across and grabbed the bottle of brandy, taking a generous swig.

"Nice stuff. You must be doing all right for yourself eh Frankie…to afford such fancy swill?"

Francis took out a silk handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood from his lip. "Get to the point clown."

Harley cackled and leaned back in her seat. "Fair play Frankie. Let's ditch the niceties. You owe my organization a lot of money."

Francis laughed loudly, splitting his newly clotted lip.

"Your organization? Hunny, last I checked your organization was finished with the Joker locked up in Arkham."

Harley gave him a wide-eyed expression full of innocence. "Oh no. Mr. J's operation is still going strong. Line of succession and all that means I'm in charge of the whole shebang. That also means you're three months behind in your protection payments."

Francis sneered. "Doll, who do I need protection from? I'm the biggest dog in the yard."

"And yet here you are, surrounded by my boys."

Francis narrowed his eyes. "So how much do you think your so called protection is worth?"

Harley pulled a note out of her shirt and slid it across the table. Francis chuckled as he opened the piece of paper. He slapped it back down on the table.

"You must be joking."

Harley smirked. "Do I look like I'm joking?" Harley pulled her revolver out of her holster and held it casually in her hand.

"Now here's the thing Frankie. I don't want to hold a gun to your head until you get me my money. That's so old hat." She stuck the gun under the table and leaned forward. "But I have no problem shooting your balls off in front of everyone here. It's your choice."

Francis felt the barrel of the gun on his inner thigh and gulped. When he heard the chamber cock, he began to sweat. He took a pen out of his jacket pocket and frantically wrote down some numbers on Harley's note.

"The safe is in the back. There's the combo." Harley grabbed the paper and handed it to Eddie. Eddie, wearing a Batman mask, ran to the back office. Once Eddie returned, he nodded to Harley who motioned for her men to depart. She removed her gun from Francis' crotch and returned it to the holster.

"Oh Frankie, one small thing before I leave. Mr. J will be out soon and he would never give you the option of conversation like I have done tonight. Just something to keep in mind." Eddie escorted Harley out of the club, keeping his gun pointed at anyone who would dare move.

The back van rolled along through Gotham as if nothing had happened.

"You know boss, you haven't lost a single man since the Big Boss got locked up," Eddie noted. Harley leaned her head up against the cool metal of the van's interior.

"There hasn't been a need."

Eddie threw her a dopey grin. "Well we all sure appreciate it." The other costumed men muttered in agreement. Harley smiled sleepily.

* * *

Harley rubbed her neck as she exited the rickety van. She took the case from Eddie.

"Go home boys. I won't need you for a couple of days. All debts have been paid up. Go see your families."

The costumed figures all nodded towards their new boss and gratefully vacated the premises. Harley rolled her shoulders, hearing a satisfying crack in each joint.

When Harley entered the main sitting room, a familiar figure stood at the fireplace, staring lost into the flames. Her footsteps made him turn around.

"You don't look too well."

Harley gave a half smile.

"Walk and talk Dr. Crane," Harley motioned for the doctor to follow her. He silently walked up the stairs into the primary office. Dr. Crane averted his gaze as Harley bent over to unlock the safe and place the case inside. Without saying a word, Harley moved passed Dr. Crane and into the master bedroom. He followed. The hyenas were sleeping in their beds, but woke up to drowsily greet their equally drowsy mother. Harley sat on the edge of the bed while Dr. Crane stood awkwardly in the centre of the room. The hyenas licked at Harley's hands as she unzipped and gently slid off her boots.

"How are things at the asylum?" Harley grabbed her towel and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Crazy," Dr. Crane said as he leaned against the closed bathroom door.

Harley giggled. "Did you just make a joke Dr. Crane?"

The doctor stared at his feet and chuckled. "You must be rubbing off on me." He remained silent when he heard the hot water running in the shower and tried to stave off thoughts of what lay beyond the door. Dr. Crane moved to the edge of the bed when he heard the water shut off. Bud and Lou rested their heads in his lap happily as Dr. Crane petted them absentmindedly. The door opened and Harley appeared, dressed in a long, fluffy robe, towel drying her hair.

"So, I take it since all your men returned that it was another successful night?"

Harley smiled as she sat next to her doctor. "It's amazing how easily people in this city are intimidated. It takes no threat at all to get people to dance for you."

"Well, you can thank your Joker for most of that mind set."

Harley sat quietly, staring at her hands. "How is he?"

Dr. Crane removed his glasses and rubbed his nose. "He woke up earlier this morning."

Harley's eyes widened. "Is he okay? Did he say anything?"

Dr. Crane looked to Harley and scoffed. "He laughed."

Harley shook her head. All she wanted was to have her Joker by her side once more, but she was so angry that he had put her in this position in the first place.

"Can I see him?" Harley whispered.

Dr. Crane sighed. "I wouldn't recommend it. He's in pretty rough shape."

Harley cursed herself as she felt fresh tears welling up in her eyes. Dr. Crane wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair gently.

"If you want, I'll take you to see him in the morning, but I think the best thing for you right now is rest."

"Is that your medical opinion?"

"It's whatever gets you into bed." Harley looked up and saw a playful glint in her doctor's normally iced over eyes.

Harley changed into an oversized t-shirt and crawled into her oversized bed.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked sleepily.

Dr. Crane bent low and kissed her forehead. "That is a very dangerous idea Miss Quinn. I will meet you at the asylum in the morning."

As Dr. Crane took his leave, Bud and Lou jumped on the bed and settled themselves in.

Harley took a deep breath and sank into the comforters; trying to mentally prepare herself for tomorrow and sleep overtook her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Oh my goodness. It's been forever. I haven't given up on this story. I promise I will see it to its conclusion.  
I hope you enjoy this latest update. Sorry it's a little on the short side…oh and it's very much rated M.**

The knock on his office door drew Dr. Crane's attention from the fat file sitting splayed on his desk. Harley stood on the other side, nervously playing with her bracelet. When her doctor opened the door, Harley smiled, but remained silent as she paced in his office.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to, you know."

Harley smiled meekly. "I have to see him. I don't want Mr. J to think I don't care."

Dr. Crane folded his arms. "Would he care if you cared?"

Harley giggled. "Probably not. I guess it's for my own benefit."

Dr. Crane paused for a moment, temporarily lost in thought. With a sigh, he straightened and moved to his desk to dig something out of the drawer. He threw the nametag to Harley who clipped it to the collar of her blouse.

"Dr. Heron?" Harley looked up curiously as she read the name. Dr. Crane smiled as he took a lab coat and tossed it to the bewildered woman.

"Yes, Dr. Heron. I can't just take anyone around with me in the asylum. So, congratulations. You're my new intern."

Harley giggled at the pleased expression on her doctor's face.

"Heron and Crane? Don't you think that's a little too on the nose?" Harley asked as her doctor escorted out into the hall.

"Maybe it's fate," he whispered into her ear. Harley sighed. This was a terrible time for Dr. Crane to start flirting.

* * *

As the pair made their way to the hospital wing, Dr. Crane toured Dr. Heron through the various facilities, impressing on her just how much he knew about everything and how little she knew about nothing. Harley bit her lip to hide her giggles and kept nodding with interest, playing the part of the curious student. She felt like the nervous young girl, once more enthralled with her doctor's intelligence and passion. Harley struggled to keep her mind on the task at hand until they reached a large metal door with a guard on either side.

"Now Dr. Heron, I would like to introduce you to our most dangerous patient at the asylum. You will be accompanying me on all my treatment sessions with the Joker." Dr. Crane held Harley's gaze and she nodded slowly in understanding.

"But Dr. Crane…don't you think it more appropriate for me to take on one of the…less significant patients?" Harley's voice shook slightly with nerves she did not have to fake. Dr. Crane was pleased that Harley had caught on to the show they were putting on for the guards.

"Dr. Heron, if you have any hesitation in the treatment of any patients in the asylum, perhaps a family clinic would be more your speed."

Harley felt a small ball of anger flare within her at the pretend insult.

"Of course not. Please…after you."

Dr. Crane nodded and waved his pass in front of a small, black box. A beep signaled the unlocking of the thick door. The guards stood to the side, waiting for any sign of jeopardy. When Harley was in, the door closed, and another beep meant entrapment.

Joker was turned away from the pair of doctors and staring out the window, lying still in his hospital bed. Gotham was having one of its rare days of sunshine. The rays reflecting on the clown's hair almost made him appear normal and human. Dr. Crane broke the tranquility.

"So, Mr. Joker, how are we feeling this morning?" Dr. Crane asked as he flipped through the updated charts. Joker didn't move.

"As well as can be expected Doc."

Dr. Crane nodded toward Harley, encouraging her to approach. The clicking of her heels on the cold tile, alerted Joker to a new presence in the room. Taking in Harley, lab coat and glasses, just as she was when they first met, made Joker straighten and flash his eyes.

"Well this is a sight. I must say, you're a much better view than the doc here."

Harley smiled as Dr. Crane continued to review the notes made by the few staff brave enough to enter the room.

"How you doing, Puddin?" Harley sat on the edge of the bed and gently held Joker's fingers in her hand.

Joker grinned and beckoned Harley closer. Harley hovered over the bed, so the two clowns were nose to nose.

"You miss me?" Joker whispered.

Harley giggled. "More than you know."

Joker's voice lowered to a growl. "Has the good doctor been taking care of you in my absence?"

Dr. Crane rolled his eyes and he harshly wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Joker's arm and began to squeeze.

Harley smirked. "We work well together."

Joker scoffed. "I'll bet."

Harley ignored him. "More importantly, I've been taking care of your syndicate while you've been in here."

Joker laughed. "That's cute Kitten. Got all my papers in order?"

"Actually, I've collected on all your debtors and have been consolidating your enterprises. You are now in control of the largest crime organization in Gotham. It even outranks Cobblepot's."

Joker frowned. "Why would you do that?"

Harley laughed in surprise. "Isn't that what you want? To be the King of Gotham?"

"I am the King of Gotham," Joker shouted angrily. Dr. Crane calmly noted the elevated blood pressure.

Harley balled up part of the bed sheets in her fists. "Not on paper you weren't. We were small time. Now, there is no one who can touch you."

Joker raked an impatient hand down his face.

"Harls, all I ever want to do, is live my life and make trouble for the Batman every now and again. How the hell am I supposed to do that if I have a giant Joker corporation to run? You've killed what little freedom I had left!"

Harley leaned forward, her eyes on fire. "Well since I'm the one who made this what it is, why don't I control it. You can run around with your little squeak toys and have Batman playdates while I do business with the grownups."

Joker tried to launch himself at Harley, but the pain searing through his body kept him planted in bed.

"You little bitch! How dare you think you can take me over? How dare you think that for one minute you are a tenth the crime lord I am?"

Harley's voice was barely above a whisper. "Watch me."

With that, Harley stood up and swiped her pass to exit the room. As the door slammed behind her, Dr. Crane finished checking Joker's vitals and hung the chart back on the bed. He quietly slipped his pen back inside his jacket and watched Joker punch his pillows in a vague show of trying to get comfy.

"What are you looking at?" he growled.

Dr. Crane smiled. "Just another patient."

* * *

Harley stomped into Dr. Crane's office and slammed the door behind her. She threw her glasses on the desk and paced back and forth, angrily pulling the clip from her hair and letting it fall loose. She couldn't believe Joker's reaction. After everything she had done to cement his position in Gotham, and all that fool clown could think about was his injured pride and the Bat. No one in Gotham thought Harley was in control. Everyone saw her as just another Joker stooge, but in the blink of an eye, it all changed. Now Harley was determined to take the empire for herself. She had something to prove. No longer would she be simply Joker's ditzy little sidekick. Harley was going to be the queen that everyone feared and respected. She would show them all.

Harley's train of thought was interrupted by the quiet clicking of the heavy, wooden office door being locked. She glared as Dr. Crane leaned against the wall with a bemused look on his face.

"What do you want?" Harley sneered. Dr. Crane's wolfish grin told Harley something wasn't right. This wasn't her doctor. He carefully folded his glasses and placed them on his desk next to Harley's. His approach was slow, but deliberate.

"Dr. Crane isn't here right now…"

Harley coughed out a suppressed giggle.

"…But if you'd like to make an appointment…" Dr. Crane paused and trapped Harley against a bookshelf, one arm on either side to block her escape. Harley grinned as she lightly tugged her doctor's tie free from his jacket.

"Hello Scarecrow."

He smirked. "Hi."

Harley moaned softly as Scarecrow bit and licked playfully along her stomach and back up to her chest. Her core felt numb with electricity. Harley had made quick work of the doctor's shirt and tie and now he lay on top of her, pinning her to the couch. Scarecrow bit Harley harshly on her neck, but her back arched in feeling his cool tongue soothe her new wounds.

"You taste just as good as I imagined."

Harley bit her lip to keep her groans silent at Scarecrow's hushed tone.

"He never let me play with you. He said I would hurt you." Scarecrow's long fingers teased Harley through her underwear, making long, unhurried strokes. Harley's laughter was broken up with gasps as fresh shocks of electricity flooded her. Her fingers desperately danced over Scarecrow's belt, trying unsuccessfully to release him.

"In a minute darling. I've waited a long time for this."

Harley moaned in frustration, but rubbed her hand against his pants, making Scarecrow growl. He slowly moved up until his lips danced across Harley's ear.

"Now I wonder Miss Quinn…" Scarecrow moved aside the thin fabric and teased his thumb over Harley's clit, making her squirm.

"…I wonder if this tastes just as good as the rest of you."

Harley cried out as Scarecrow slowly inserted his fingers, curling and dragging them in and out, making Harley see stars. She felt herself clamp down around him.

"Jonathon!"

Suddenly the hand stilled. Harley opened her eyes to see panic above her. Her doctor had returned. Dr. Crane sat up and quickly straightened to the other end of the couch.

"Harley. I am so sorry. He so rarely takes control like that anymore. I…"

Harley pulled her shirt back onto her shoulders, but didn't do it up. Instead, she sat on top of her doctor and wrapped her arms around his neck. Dr. Crane answered by holding her hips with one hand and gently inspecting her body for damage with the other.

"Did he hurt you?" Dr. Crane whispered. Harley smiled and kissed his cheek softly.

"No. I'm fine."

Dr. Crane remained unconvinced as he noted several fresh bruises on Harley's neck and torso. He brought his lips to one above her breast and kissed it softly. Harley sighed as Dr. Crane continued to press his lips to every mark his aggressive counterpart had left on her body. Slowly, Harley sank next to her doctor who had swung his legs across the couch and pulled her close to him. She rested her head on his bare chest as he stroked her back and continued to kiss her hair in comfort. Harley felt Dr. Crane's arms rest heavily against her back as his breathing slowed.

"Do you have other appointments today?"

"No…Because I knew we were seeing Him…I kept today open," Dr. Crane's voice replied sleepily. Harley snuggled tighter to her doctor and breathed in his scent of old books and fresh soap.

"Good."


	15. Chapter 15

**Big thanks to Nenenina, and two guests for their kind words and reviews. Here's the next chapter coming at you. :)**

Harley sat in the club, in her office with the door shut. The profits coming in from Mr. J's enterprises had been so good, she had just announced raises to all the staff. As the doors opened with renewed vigor and guests poured in, Harley had retired to her private office and was swirling an amber drink in her hand, happily listening to the clinking of the ice in the glass. It sadly reminded her of the one presence missing in The Knife Edge, but it also renewed her drive to best her beloved clown. There was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in Eddie."

Eddie opened the door just enough to poke his head through.

"Hi Harley. You have a visitor."

Harley put the drink down and leaned forward on her desk.

"Who is it?"

Eddie grinned sheepishly. "Another Eddie."

Harley smiled wide. "Show him in."

Eddie nodded and opened the door all the way. A man in a dark green suit pushed his way passed his named doppelganger.

"Miss Quinn, may I present Mr. Nyg…"

"…she knows who I am junior."

Harley giggled. "Thank you Eddie. That'll be all."

Eddie nodded and closed the door behind him. Nygma's eyes followed the door.

"He's cute."

Harley rolled her eyes, but grinned. "He's taken."

Nygma shrugged as Harley came out from behind her desk and offered a handshake. Nygma took her hand gently in his and kissed it in deference. Harley smiled and offered Nygma a seat. She sat on the edge of her desk and crossed her legs.

"So Ed, what brings you to my humble neck of the woods?"

Nygma chuckled. "No time for small talk eh Quinn?"

Harley grabbed her bottle of scotch and poured Nygma a generous helping.

"Well unless you've changed wildly since our last encounter Ed, you're not the kind of man to drive all the way across Gotham to discuss the weather."

Nygma sipped the liquid gingerly and stretch out his legs, his ever-present golden cane, resting comfortably against his knee.

"How is he?"

Harley's lips thinned as her grin tightened. "He gets stronger every day."

"Crane looking after him?"

"To the extent of his interest. I have forbidden him from using any concoctions."

Nygma laughed outright. "And he'll listen to you?"

Harley relaxed and smiled to herself. "We trust each other. You have to put your faith in someone sometimes right?"

"Oh yes and Lord knows we would never question your taste in men."

Harley giggled. "You're just jealous cuz I snapped up all the good ones early."

Nygma rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, the nights I spend fretting at the crazy fish that got away."

Their laughter tapered into an uneasy silence, ice clinking in the glasses.

"I've heard rumblings Quinn. You have some unhappy clients."

"Unhappy? From what I hear, the underworld has been flourishing since I took over."

Nygma put his empty glass on the table beside him. "Oh, I never said they weren't making money, but they're losing men left right and centre. You're not protecting them."

Harley frowned. "I've been protecting them from each other. The lines and territories haven't moved an inch. I've made sure of that."

"That's not what I meant," Nygma said, shaking his head, "You're supposed to protect them from the Bat."

Harley waved her hand dismissively. "If they aren't smart enough to keep out of the Bat's way, that's not my problem."

"It is actually. Why do you think Joker spent all those years laying traps, playing gags, and generally messing with the little Batman's mind? That's what the gangs paid him to do. He distracted the Batman so that the underworld in Gotham could thrive."

Harley rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Wait wait wait. So you're saying that Mr. J only took on the Batman because he was paid?"

Nygma leaned back in his chair. "I never said he didn't love it. You know the saying: get a job you love and you'll never have to work again."

Harley jumped off the desk and began pacing back and forth. "He never told me. He always made it seem like just another obsession."

Nygma smirked. "I imagine there's a lot of things he hasn't told you; especially since you've returned to him."

Harley suddenly felt a wave of guilt overtake her. All those fights and arguments she had over Joker's ploys and schemes to "get the Bat." No wonder he was angry that she had taken control of even more territory in Gotham. He could barely hold the Bat's attention as is.

"So what do I do?"

Nygma pressed his fingers together and held them to his lips. "It has to be big. Something that will keep Bats chasing you for a long time."

"Something public to grab media attention…make the city demand my head on a spike."

Nygma began to giggle quietly. "Exactly. Public displays of chaos are always the most fun."

Harley rubbed the back of her neck. "I've never pulled off anything publically."

Nygma stood from his chair and smiled. "Yes you have. You just don't remember." He grabbed his cane and twirled it slowly in his hands.

"In leaving you that riddle to solve, I feel I must be on my way."

Harley nodded and opened the door for Nygma.

"Thank you for your guidance Ed. I'll let you know how it turns out."

"If you do it properly, I'll know." With that, Edward Nygma took his leave of the club, allowing Harley to plot in silence.

* * *

Harley adjusted her glasses as she entered the stoned entrance to the asylum. After getting through security, Harley went up to Dr. Crane's office, but was surprised to see a new receptionist sitting at the long-abandoned desk. The girl was young and far too pretty to be working in a pit like Arkham. It must have been her first week and no doubt she had heard how the last receptionist had left…or that is, how bits of her had left. Harley almost felt sympathetic.

"Excuse me, can you please tell me where Dr. Crane is this morning?"

The young girl's eyes widened as her fingers trembled over the keyboard to her computer.

"Y-yes. He's in Lab 27 until noon Dr. Heron."

"What's your name?"

"Miranda."

"How are you finding the job so far Miranda?"

Miranda smiled. "Dr. Crane has been very kind to me. He toured me through the asylum, but thankfully most of work keeps me in his office."

 _No doubt._ "Well… welcome to Arkham Miranda."

Harley gave the girl the warmest smile she could muster and made her way to the labs on the lower level. Harley had been making appearances as Dr. Heron two days a week at Arkham to maintain the illusion of being a successful intern. She had originally done it to visit the Joker, but after their last fight, Harley couldn't quite manage to swallow her pride and look in on him. Instead, she had been assisting Dr. Crane in his experiments and various treatments of patients. He had even allowed her to have her own sessions alone with some of the less notorious patients. Harley was surprised at how quickly her education had returned to her memory and was beginning to take a great deal of personal pride in her work at the asylum, even though it was completely fake.

As she made her way down the hall to Lab 27, Harley heard screaming, making her smile softly. Her suspicions were confirmed when she looked through the tiny window to see one of Dr. Crane's patients screaming and the masked doctor recording his many observations into the familiar tape recorder. With a deep breath, Harley turned on her heal and made her way to the hospital wing.

* * *

The nurses stared harshly at Harley as she boldly took the Joker's chart off the wall for examination. The younger ones looked behind her anxiously to see if their handsome boss was with her. Harley smirked at their disappointment. The junior nurses were so infatuated with Dr. Crane. It was rather pitiful. The older nurses tsked and tutted the doctor's flirtatious nature, but it made Harley giggle.

The chart noted that the Joker was to be moved to a solitary cell in two days. As Harley hung the chart back on its hook, she took another calming breath and unhooked her key from her lab coat.

The beeping of the lock alerted the Joker to a new presence. He was stood by the window, but turned at the sound of the door shutting gently. He frowned when he saw the cause.

"Come to tell me you've been elected mayor?"

"Orange isn't your colour."

Joker laughed softly as he pulled on his jumpsuit. "Don't I know it Kitten, but they're moving me to play with the other boys and I have to be suitably dressed."

Harley felt very nervous around the clown prince suddenly and began straightening the corner of the bed sheets.

"Have you been assigned a doctor?"

Joker shrugged. "They wouldn't tell me if I had, but I suspect I'll do the usual song and dance of going through half a dozen before they give up."

Harley stopped fussing with the sheets and rubbed the back of her neck.

"You know, I've been taking on patients again…as Dr. Heron."

Joker turned to fully face Harley and burst out laughing.

"Now that would be a twist in events. I recall our sessions being some of the most…enjoyable I've had in this hole."

Joker's laughter died out as he slowly turned his head, trying to catch the downcast glance of Harley.

"I'm sorry puddin'," Harley whispered.

Joker furrowed his brow. "Sorry for what? What have you done now?"

Harley kept her face lowered as a tear quietly rolled down her cheek. "I'm screwing everything up. I'm sorry. I should never have thought that I could possibly do what you do."

"Don't do that."

Harley raised her eyes at Joker's stern command. He shook his head but maintained his stare.

"Don't submit to me now. The old Harley always submitted and always gave up. It was nice, don't get me wrong…and don't think I'm getting sentimental. You're a royal pain in my ass, but I much prefer this version of you."

Joker slowly closed the distance between them as a small smile crossed Harley's features. Joker tucked his finger under Harley's chin.

"You're deadlier, tougher, smarter, and …far sexier than any creature I could create. So, don't ever apologize again."

Joker rubbed his thumb along Harley's bottom lip before kissing her. She replied eagerly, running her hands through his unkempt hair. Joker wrapped his arms around Harley's waist and had nearly hoisted her off the floor when Harley paused and pulled back. The smile of her face made Joker scowl.

"I don't like that look Harley."

"I have to go. I'll see what I can do about getting you assigned a doctor."

"You can see what you can do about getting me the hell out of here Harls."

Harley giggled and kissed Joker quickly before spinning on her heel.

"Patience puddin'." As the door closed behind her, Joker growled from multiple sources of frustration.

"I hate that girl."


End file.
